


miraculous life

by SquishyLeyva



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, F/F, F/M, Gabriel Agreste is an Asshole, I'll add more tags later as the story progresses, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Is a Savage, Marinette is a Dancer, Mentions of BTS - Freeform, Mentions of Suicide, Minor Character Death, Multi, Rebirth, Romance, Romance?, Self-Insert, Slow Burn, Swearing, also marinette has a slight gay crush on a teacher, and actors, and other kpop groups, and other music artists in general, but only in the first chapter, comfirmed suicide, eventually, feel free to skip over that, flashbacks to attempted suicide, im on chapter 21 and she's only 11, like it's really slow, slight AU, the beginning and end are safe to read, the end of chapter 39 has the mentions of suicide, we're all in for a long ride guys
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2019-06-18
Packaged: 2019-06-22 13:33:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 35
Words: 43,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15583080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SquishyLeyva/pseuds/SquishyLeyva
Summary: Marinette stood up and turned to leave, throwing her yo-yo up and feeling it latch on, she was ready to leave."Wait! Who are you, miss...?" Alya trailed off. Marinette glanced back, with an amused smile."Don't the spots give it away? The name's Ladybug."ㅡwarning: slight au, self-insert and swearing will be in this ficcrosspost from wattpadㅡONCE I CATCH UP WITH THE CHAPTERS I HAVE OUT ON WATTPAD UPDATES EVERY TWO WEEKS ON WEDNESDAYS





	1. 001

**Author's Note:**

> so i originally started this story on wattpad, and I'm just transferring it over...  
> uh, I hope you all will stick with me through this, because honestly?  
> it's gonna be a roller coaster of emotions

_death (/deTH/)_

_noun_   
_1\. the action or fact of dying or being killed; the end of the life of a person or organism."I don't believe in life after death"synonyms:demise, dying, end, passing loss of life_

My eyes flickered away from the highlighted definition that was in the dictionary I was holding and instead met those sparkling blue eyes and mischievous smile, she waited patiently for me to process everything we've gone over. Not that it surprised me that I was dead, just at a loss as to what I was doing in a place I'm just going to name  _The White Void of Nothingness_  with a girl holding out a dictionary towards me and pointing at the word and handed me the book.

It was strange.

I wasn't bothered by the fact I had died, if anything I felt relief--finally gone from the life I loathed with a passion-- but at the same time, I was hit with guilt. Because I never got to say my words of farewell, even if I only had my family to say it to. I wasn't sociable enough to have friends.

"You seem to be taking this well, better than I did, anyways," she giggled, snapping me out of my thoughts. The book disappeared, as if it were never there, "Unlike you, I didn't die, but it seems that the, er,  _higher ups_  decided that your time came too soon, and lucky for you, I volunteered to switch with you!" Immediately noticing my confused look, she gave me a sad smile, "I just really hope you do better than I did with my life."

Her words sunk it rather slowly, them not making sense at first and confusing me before my brain truly processed the phrases and what their meanings were.

"I'm going to be you?" I blurted out, finally saying something. She nodded and looked behind her, a bright red light shone, fluctuating, as if waiting. I checked behind me, a fluctuating baby blue light waited behind me, and I looked back to the girl. "But...why? Why  _me?_ "

"I'd tell you if I knew," she shook her head, and she suddenly grabbed my hands, giving them a gentle, yet tight, squeeze. "Please...take care of Tikki when she gets to you, and Alya, she's my best friend-- I know you'll be able to handle her-- and Adrien, I really hope you're more successful in that than I was, oh gosh, the embarrassment! Chat Noir! I know...I know you'll know who he is once your realize where you're going, just...just pretend you  _don't know_. Take care of maman and papa. Maybe you can explain your situation to Mister Fu, he might understand...and..." She trailed off, her pause longer than the others, she let out a shaky breath, "... _don't make risky decisions_."

My head was spinning, but I still managed to grip the information, though it didn't make much sense to me. This wasn't something that happened to everyone, or every other time when someone dies. Or at least that I know of, since there is no actual proof since we're, ya know,  _dead_. But wouldn't someone have said something in their new life? Or would they go on as if they never died? In the moment of many thoughts and questions, I stupidly answered with an, "Okay."

"Alright, well, I guess this is goodbye! It was nice meeting you, Marianne Julius!" She let go and began walking past me, the girl who I would switch lives with was going to disappear forever. She was going to be  _me_ , and I didn't even know her name... I spun around and gripped her arm, making her jerk back in surprise. "W-woah!" She turned back to me once again, eyes wide in shock, but definitely glossy with tears waiting to spill, "Wh-what is it?"

(It occurred to Marianne that she was holding back her tears, trying to be the strong one for them before the big switch.  _She shouldn't have to do that, that idiot_.)

"I-I died of a heart condition, I've always had a weak heart, got a surgery when I was younger," I started, and her eyes widened at the information, probably not knowing. "I was mad at my mom all the time, I didn't want surgeries but she always scheduled them, I never took my medicine so I'm to blame for my death-- I-I never told I actually lover her, I was too immature. I didn't have friends, I was always alone--" I was cut off when she hugged me, not realizing I had started crying, and after hearing her sniffling, I realized that this was hard for her too, leaving her life and giving it to me instead, going to live my life. She was leaving everyone she loved for  _me_. I choked back a sob, "J-just...do better than I did."

"I will, Marianne!" She laughed, although it was shaky, tears spilling from her eyes (finally) as we pulled away.

(She was beautiful, really, she seemed to be mixed of some sorts, Asian for sure, but the other-- she couldn't place her finger on it, it's one you don't see often. She had midnight blue hair, nearly black, and bright blue eyes that sparkled like no other, such a mysterious shade of blue that she would have to stare at them for hours until finding the correct words to describe them. But she didn't have hours, she had seconds.)

"Y-your name! You know mine, but I don't know yours..." She smiled, laughing again at my stuttered words.

(She mentally cursed herself, she normally wasn't this emotional, mostly apathetic, really, and that wouldn't change once she got over this. It's what saved her countless times.)

"Marinette...I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng!"

"Marinette...it-it was nice meeting you too...!"

I stared at her, tears staining both of our cheeks, holding each other's  hands before giving a reassuring squeeze, letting go, turning heel, and running into the bright light ahead, our previous words, a silent promise, forever engraved into my mind. _"Do better than I did."_

_Live my life better than I ever could._

The bright red light consumed me, blinding my eyes, and then there was nothing but darkness, warmth. That was all there was for a while. Darkness and warmth, but for some reason, I was comfortable with that. Not being able to see anything, yet have this feeling of safety. Then I was suddenly being forced out of said warmth. It was then that I realized I couldn't exactly breathe, and that made me panic but I was unable to do anything about it. There was a pause before the feeling of being forced out started again, and light blinded my sensitive eyes, making me groan, going to cover my eyes, only to smack myself in the face.

 _Ow_.

I was picked up, people panicking, and I caught the words of  _'why isn't she crying?'_ and  _'is she okay?'_ From the looks of it, the woman who was lying on the bed, her legs spread apart, and was the one asking the questions, breathing hard, face flushed, but her eyes were on me. I blinked at her, the warmth and safety I had felt for who-knows-how-long was coming from her, making me reachout to her, wanting to be as close as possible to her. To my safe-haven.

But then my head was turned to look up at the a man, who I guessed was a doctor with all the nurses around him, flashing a light into my eyes, making me screech at him, whacking the little light from his fingers, almost missing since my arm nearly didn't reach. What the  _hell_  did he think he was doing? Render me  _blind_?!

Everyone looked at me with wide eyes, and I calmly stared back before turning my head back to the woman who was looking at me with adoring eyes and I once again tried reaching out to her, as if I could reach her, then looked down at myself when I saw the chubby arms and hands, tiny fingers in my vision. It hit me like a brick as to what the situation was, countless situations that had run through my head on where I would end up in this new life and  _this_  was one I hadn't thought of this one at all.

_I had just been born._


	2. 002

Being aware of your surroundings as an infant was not the most entertaining thing in the world. Unfortunately, it was my predicament as a baby, seeing as my mind was still intact along with memories from a previous life that I would rather forget.

Which still puzzles me.

Seeing as how I was technically reborn, maybe even reincarnated, it was believed that you would lose all your memories after you've died-- and that's probably the worst part about this, the reason I want to forget. I remember my death, the  _feeling_  of death.

No one should ever want to recall how they died.

It makes me wonder if the previous Marinette died as well, which I doubt seeing as she had admitted that she had offered to trade places.  _I_ died, but it doesn't mean she did.

Her--  _my_ \-- parents were a wonderful couple, their ethnicities making quite a curious pair as I had never actually seen a couple from France and China.

My mother, Sabine, was a small woman compared to my father, Tom. She had long midnight hair, so dark it almost seemed blue with how it shone in the light. It also came to my attention that she would slip into two different languages as she spoke to me. Rather than make baby noises, which is pretty much gibberish and sounds, she would speak to me. Though I was still having trouble figuring out what she was telling me, seeing as she would speak in what I assumed to be French and Chinese.

My mother was Chinese, but by the looks of things, we lived in France, if the view of the Eiffel Tower didn't tell me anything, with my father.

I was normally left in my crib or a bouncer, I watched them move around a pretty big kitchen. Many ovens lined the walls, and I simply followed their movements curiously.

They were baking.

I never new the fresh smell of bread and paste these could be so...captivating. Especially watching my father make desserts. Not once did he ever lose his smile as he hummed a tune while he worked. It was so amazing to watch, I had nearly ignored my stomach telling me it was time to eat.

Another set back about being a baby was that I  _couldn't speak_. I had no form of communication other than smiling, kicking, raising my arms and crying. Until I went through teething, I would be unable to speak any proper sentences, let alone  _words._

So without further ado, I whimpered and forced myself to cry.

Sabine was immediately excusing herself from the front, having been checking someone out (three baguettes, my mind supplied, had been sold to the jive elderly woman who lives across the street) by my side within seconds. I was in a portable bassinet, so that could keep me near them at all times. I didn't mind, their baking was fascinating to watch.

"What's wrong Marinette?" she asked, a pleasant smile on her face as I stopped crying, staring up at her, waiting. She checked the clock and smiled, returning her gaze to me, "Let me go heat up your bottle, okay?"

I do my best to giver her a smile, in which she responds with a coo and a laugh, "You're so beautiful Marinette, I wonder how you'll grow up?" she sighed, leaving to get my bottle. She had quickly learned that I did not enjoy breastfeeding, and while I did it at first, after a couple times, I just couldn't force myself to do it anymore, as I would throw up after my meals.

She came back not too much later with a warm bottle, to which I had actually found pleasant to drink, and gave it to me. I did my best to lift the bottle with how weak my arms were as my bones were pretty much just cartilage and this stage.

As I drank, Sabine began to busy herself with customers once again, looking back every now and them to check on me. My eyes fluttered closed as I was nearing the emptiness of the bottle, just giving up on keeping it up to finish, feeling myself drift off. This was one of the best things of being an infant.

I had never been able to go to sleep so easily. 

-

When my eyes fluttered back open, Sabine was holding me, and I saw Tom to her right, both speaking to someone. I began stretching, rubbing my eyes before blinking my eyes open,   
and looking at my mother and father who were looking at me with loving smiles.

"Good afternoon, Marinette, how was your nap?" Sabine asked, and I just smiled, letting out a happy giggle. It was wonderful.

"Oh, isn't she just cute?" A new voice awed making me turn look at them, as I had often heard this voice, but always when I was in my bassinet and watching everything around me. A beautful blonde woman stood before my family, she herself holding a bundle in her arms, her green eyes shining like emeralds. 

She was one of the most gorgeous women I had every seen in either of my lives.

"Hi there, Marinette!" she greeted, smiling at me and adjusting the baby in her arms so I could see him better, making me look at the other curiously. 

I was met with the same green eyes as the woman, though lighter, speckled with a light blue and gold near his pupil, so light that you would never notice if you weren't looking closely like I was. His hair was blond, just like the woman, and the moment he had looked at me, he broke out into a smile.

He was probably as fascinated by me as I was with him.

No, I was probably the most awed as I was the one with coherent thoughts out of us two.

"Marinette, this is my son, Adrien," she explained, and I flickered my eyes to her and back to the baby, Adrien as I now know him as, "you have to be nice to each other because we'll be coming to get pastries together, so you two have to be friends, okay?"

Adrien gurgled a laugh, seeming to reach for me, with his tiny hand and I found myself reaching for him as well. Our hands met and I maneuvered my fingers as best as I could and and slotted my fingers with his, holding his hand.

 _'My hand is bigger.'_ Was my thought as he waved our hands around in excitement.

"Look at that," Sabine smiled, "she likes him. She usually doesn't like other people or babies."

"They could be fated lovers," the woman joked, and Tom choked on this spit as Sabine agreed.

And as I watched Adrien close his eyes, exhausted from all the excitement, his hand still interlocked with mine, I couldn't help but hope that I could see him when he grew up.

_'Would he be as beautiful as his mother?'_


	3. 003

As it turned out, Mrs. Agreste was a frequent visitor at their  _Boulangerie Patisserie_ , even before I, or Adrien, had been born. Both mother's had apparently been pregnant and turned out to be good acquaintances, usually going to sit down and talk, and Tom had manned the front while Sabine caught up.

I didn't know Mrs. Agreste's first name, as all my mother would call her is that, and while they seemed to be almost friends, and Mrs. Agreste always insisting  _"Sabine, please call me by my first name, we've know each other so long now!"_ Sabine would always just smile at her and shake her head, and she would never really explain why. I had a good idea though, as I used to study Korean back in my previous life. 

In most Asian countries, formalities is a really big deal, not only that, but the constant respect to show to those older than you. So I simply believe that my mother wants to continue her culture, even when in a completely different country where the culture is nothing like hers. Keeping a piece of home with her.

A slap to my face brought me out of my thoughts and I focused on the child sitting in front of me, I had honestly forgotten that when our mother's are catching up, they decide to let us...play together. Adrien was always so excited to see me, and I would just stare at him and then show disinterest by not paying attention to him. I suppose that isn't working for  _him_  anymore. I glared at him as hard as I could, not exactly happy with being hit.

I rolled over to get on my hands and knees, and started to crawl away from him, something I had quickly learned to do as I had gotten bored of not being able to get around without assistance.

"Oh! You didn't tell me Marinette learned how to crawl!" Mrs. Agreste gasped in delight behind me, and Adrien started whining when I started getting farther from him.

"I apologize, it had completely slipped my mind," Sabine laughed, "she just up and did it one day, seemed frustrated about something, even. She's been a lot happier since she started."

"I'm sure she has, not having to stay in one place anymore, huh?" I stopped and glanced back to Mrs. Agreste. Something in her voice sounded distant, and as I met her gaze, her eyes looked sad, even when she smiled at me.

Suddenly, Adrien burst into tears, and it made all of us jump. I huffed, nearly rolling my eyes at the neediness of this baby before heading back towards him. Rather him shut up than keep him bawling his eyes out. I reached him, sitting up right and patted his leg to get his attention, though he seemed too far gone into his crying. 

"Ien!" I blurted out, frustrated, hitting my lap in annoyance. It was hard trying to get the syllables of his name out as well, and it was disappointing that I couldn't get it out completely right, which I suppose was still a feat in itself as I only recently finished my second round of teething. 

"Oh my  _God_...did she just-" Mrs. Agreste's jaw dropped, and I turned to look at them, as something had clattered on the table.

"She said his name..." Sabine cooed, hands clasped and watching me in adoration. I scowled but turned my attention back to Adrien as he had stopped crying and was sniveling. "She just finished her second teething, she didn't cry but she just seemed to be in discomfort. She hasn't tried talking yet- I'm so surprise..."

"Adrien's finished his third..." the blonde woman murmured, "He's exclaimed syllables, but no actual words-"

"Nette!" Adrien raised his arms, smiling stupidly at me. Though he said my name as well, it came out more slurred and the punctuation on the t's were a little off, he seemed to have done fine. I smile approvingly at him, maybe he wasn't too bad.

"I'm going to pine for them until they day they get married." Mrs. Agreste said so seriously. "Oh, I can't wait to see the look on Gabriel's face when I tell him..."

-

It was actually really intimidating suddenly being entrusted with the Agreste's, as Sabine and Tom had decided they wanted to go out of town- though not on a date or vacation, it was this annual baking thing that I think they had to miss the previous year due to me still being too small, and I couldn't just not let them go do what makes them happy by making a fuss. I was fifteen months now, nearly a year and a half old, I could let them go somewhere without me.

I was just a little scared, as there is a big difference between being left at daycare for a good portion of a day with people trained and experienced in taking care of infants and toddlers than to be left with another family for a few days.

But I would do it for Sabine and Tom.

"Oh this is going to be so much fin, Marinette! You and Adrien are going to grow closer, and I've already informed his daycare that I'm going to be taking you for a few days and are so excited to meet you!"

Oh, wonderful, a new day care as well.

"Nette!" Adrien ran through a doorway and headed towards me, arms spread and ready to embrace me. I let go of Mrs. Agreste's hand and steady myself for her son's affection that I could never refuse because just the hurt and sad look he would get was ridiculously hard to ignore.

"Adrien," I greeted as I normally did (though it sounded more like  _Adwien"_  as I still had yet to nail my r's) and gave him a quick squeeze.

"I didn't actually believe he'd be so excited to see another girl that isn't his mother," a joking voice said from the same doorway that Adrien had come darting out of. I glanced over, eyes meeting up to a mad who towered over all of us, blond hair styled back, blue eyes meeting mine. "Hello, I am Gabriel Agreste, I've heard about you from my wife."

I stuck out my hand towards him, surprising him, "Marinette." He stared for a moment, before chuckling, seemingly amused and took my hand in his.

"Nice to meet you, Marinette."

I gave him a look before nodding. I didn't know how to feel about this man but as long as he doesn't treat me like the infant I physically am like everyone else, I'd be fine.

Somewhere around the time during dinner, I paused in eating my spaghetti, and mulled over all the names in my head;  _Sabine, Tom, Marinette, Adrien, Gariel and Mrs. Agreste._  The biggest names that stood out to me were Marinette, Adrien and  _Agreste_. But I couldn't recall why they seemed to ring a bell. I shrugged.

Doesn't seem too important.


	4. 004

Staying with the Agreste's was an interesting experience, to say the least, and with how it went, that is definitely the least I could say about it. As a two year old now, I had been able to learn to finally pronounce words, and my parents along with me teachers were definitely impressed by my rapid learning abilities, but I was a quiet child compared to the others my age, so it didn't always seem so.

As soon as my parents dropped me off at the large estate of the Agreste's, Mrs. Agreste held my hand and led me inside, giggling at me looking around in awe. This was one giant home considering there was only three people actually lived here.

"Nette!" Adrien exclaimed, running from a doorway and tackling me to the ground in a giggling mess. I grunted upon impact and sighed when I opened my eyes and was met with the ceiling. 

"Adrien," I greeted, petting his hair, making his eyes flutter close, and he seemed to relax.

"I'm astounded, I don't think I've ever seen him not running around and screaming unless he's asleep." An amused voice said from the doorway that Adrien had come from, making me turn my head, meeting a pair of blue eyes. "You must be Marinette. I'm Gabriel Agreste, I've heard much about you from my wife."

"Hello." I replied, not really letting my face give away any discomfort I felt. I didn't really know the man, I may know his wife and son, but I didn't know him at all. For all I know he could secretly be a pedophile.

I pursed my lips, looking away from him and at Adrien instead, who seemed to be falling asleep on me.

"Adrien, off." I flicked his forehead, making him whine but get off of me with a small pout.

"Meanie," he stuck his tongue out at me, and I shrugged. I didn't care much for his petty attempts of making me upset with his childish insults. I've had worse growing up as Marianne, of course, as a sick child, I was the odd one of every class. No one actually knew I had a heart condition, and later on a terminal illness, that had actually been beaten by a heart attack, and only knew that I missed school a lot and believed I was an idiot.

I always kept up with my work no matter what I went through, learning was what kept me going.

"So, Miss Marinette," Gabriel, stood in front of me as I got up off the floor, waiting for Adrien to get up as well. I was rather tall for my age, and I was confident about it, always using it to my advantage. Although, in this situation, against a grown man, it's pretty useless. "It seems like my son likes you very much."

"Yes," I agreed, meeting his eyes, and he raised an eyebrow- most likely at my blunt reply.

"I see, and how do you feel about my son?" Mrs. Agreste spluttered, looking at him in disbelief.

"Gabriel, she's  _two_!"

"And smart," he challenged Mrs. Agreste, and I tilted my head as I pondered for a moment. 

Sure, Adrien and I are pretty much growing up together, but he always wanted to play while I didn't. But he was always pleased with me being present as he played, always checking to make sure I'm still there. I didn't dislike being around him, per say, it sometimes just felt more like a chore, seeing as I was actually twenty inside my own head. 

But I did like Adrien, he gave me affection, and although rough sometimes due from over excitement of not seeing me in so long, it was the innocent and genuine love from him that convinced me that  _it wasn't so bad_.

"...friend," I decided to give him my answer, and it seemed that I had been thinking for a while, as Mrs. Agreste was fidgeting with her fingers as Gabriel tapped his foot. There was a pause in both their actions in my reply, "I'm his best friend." I said firmly before whirling around, not wanting to talk to Gabriel, who had the audacity to question mine and Adrien's relationship. 

It was actually unsettling, he seemed to be judging me the whole time, assessing if I was  _worthy_  to be in his son's life. Excuse  _you_ , Mr. Agreste, but I'll let your son decide if he wants me in his life or not.

"Darling, you shouldn't upset her, she knows how to hold a grudge..." I heard Adrien's mother whisper, and I let out a rather smug grin as I grabbed Adrien's hand. 

"Play?" I asked him, and he nodded, smiling and pulling me towards what I assumed to be his playroom. Which was filled with as many toys as a toy store.

Adrien was spoiled  _rotten_.

It was actually quite endearing to have him sit me down at a play kitchen table and him 'cook' for me at his kitchen and serve me 'food' and watching me expectantly. I decided, as I would be with him for a few days anyways, to please him and pretend to eat. I swallowed air and smiled at him.

"Yum. More?" I held out my empty plate to which he beamed at and started again, and I couldn't help but smile at him.

It had been a long time since I had been able to play, as I wasn't surrounded by toys nor did my family have the time or money to get toys and play. Most money went towards paying for my hospital bills, as I was always in and out of the dreaded building.

Rather than want to play as I hadn't been able to in my previous life, I felt like even if I attempted to be happy playing pretend, house, and all those other games, I still wouldn't enjoy myself. I wouldn't have fun, I wouldn't be happy. Because I already grew up, I may be physically two, but I was now twenty, and while maybe I couldn't enjoy it for myself, I could definitely play pretend for Adrien.

I'm his best friend, after all.

(Needless to say, this was only the first day at the Agreste estate.)


	5. 005

My second day at the Agreste's was the most horrible days of my life. I met a demon- no, it was probably the devil himself manifested into one small, evil little girl.

I had woken up, Adrien's arms wrapped around me instead of his teddy bear, and I decided to kick him out of his own bed in order to get him off of me and awake at the same time. Although I was met with a pout and tears, I was glad that it succeeded. 

I was nervous though, as I would have to go to Adrien's daycare with him for the first time and it wasn't something I had prepared for. I was only expecting to stay here, no one told me I wasn't actually going to be taken care of by Mrs. Agreste, and I could only wonder what she actually did for work along with Mr. Agreste's occupation as well.

Mrs. Agreste helped me into my outfit for the day, something she had chosen out of the many clothes my parents had packed for me. It consisted of a pink, sleeveless turtleneck, and my favorite pair of shortalls, that had pastel flower embroidery on the sides. She tried to put on some black Mary Janes over my white socks, and I sent her the dirtiest look I could muster up.

"No," I scowled, pushing the patent shoes away.  She pouted, trying to convince me to wear them. I shook my head at her attempt, and grabbed my Converse and started to put them on. I didn't really need help getting ready, but Mrs. Agreste didn't know that, and she looked so excited to dress me. I can understand as to why, seeing as she has a son, and though he loves her so much and seems to not mind being dressed up like a mini dapper man, it must be different to be able to dress a girl up instead.

"But  _Marinette_ ," she whined, "why can't you just wear the Mary Janes?" I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Mr. Agreste came walking in with Adrien in his arms, the poor boy falling back asleep in his father's arms.

"Black goes with everything," I stand straight, admiring my tied laces on my pastel pink Converse, "but these go better."

"She's not wrong, you know," Grabriel commented, assessing my choice of shoes and my clothes, "it would go with it, sure, since black can match with anything. But, the pastel theme would could be ruined with such a dark shade. Miss Marinette," his lips twitched, "quite the eye you have there."

"Thanks," I replied shortly, glancing at him and looking away.

What an unsettling man...

-

Being checked in wasn't as time consuming as I had thought, apparently my parents had already my information for them to give to the front, and a letter from my mother, stating that the Agreste's were going to be taking care of me and that they're okay with me attending the daycare.

I wouldn't have thought that possible, but they allowed it with no problems at all. I think it also had to do with how Mr. Agreste was giving them a really hard look. I was just wondering why he's such a big deal. It just made me more uncomfortable to be around him because lo and behold, he's as intimidating to other people as he is to me.

It was a wonder what Mrs. Agreste saw in such a stoic man. They were married, which meant it was either arranged or they're in love. By the endearing nicknames that they call each other constantly, I would assume that it's because they actually love each other and they love Adrien just as much, if not more. 

"Alright, Marinette, you're all set!" Mrs. Agreste smiled, bending down to my height and handing me my backpack and handed Adrien's his. It's not like there was much in there, just my snacks for later and a book I had decided would help me learn French faster. I already had distant memories of the language from middle school and high school, but it was only a couple of years of which I recall very little. "If you need anything, just let one of the ladies know, okay? Don't be afraid to talk to them."

I made a face at the mention of talking to the ladies, or anyone that's not Adrien, really. "...okay."

"Good!" she stood back up, pattin Adrien on the head, finally waking up and he waved to his mom and dad, "Bye, Adrien! Marinette!"

"Bye Mommy!" Adrien grinned, before smiling shyly up at his dad, "Bye-bye, father..."

"I'll see you in the afternoon, Adrien. Behave yourself," despite the cold words, there was a small smile on his face. He then looked at me, his smile disappearing. "I'd expect the same, if not more, from you, Miss Marinette."

I didn't respond to him, simply waving goodbye next to Adrien, and they left us. The ladies didn't seem to part with us until we were in our designated classroom, and I was grateful that they had requested that I stick with Adrien considering I don't think I'd be able to properly function without knowing someone already.

I was used to my daycare already, I knew the women there, and I knew the kids there too, none of which played with me because I didn't interact with them when they tried, but I knew everyone there. I was in familiar surroundings and didn't have to worry about anything, really, I knew the schedule, the routine.

Here, I knew absolutely nothing. Not they women, not the kids, sans Adrien, and I wouldn't know what to expect.

Adrien grabbed my hand after the ladies took our bags, and dragged me to the play kitchen, which seemed to be his favorite activity to play when I was around. He loved my compliments, no matter how fake and empty they were.

He was precious.

"Nette!" He smiled, holding out a plate of fake pizza to me, and I took it, smiling at the boy.

"Thank you," I was about to pretend to eat the pizza when it was snatched from my hands, and I whirled around to meet a girl with blond hair and blue eyes. Her hair was up in a ballerina bun and she wore this blue sundress and white sandals. I frowned at her, "That's mine."

"No!" she argued, and I was surprised by the fierceness of her reply. " _Mine!_ "

Oh.

Wonderful.

"What's yours?" I asked, tilting my head.

"Adrien!"

Oh.

 _Oh_.

Even better, she likes Adrien...wait a second- isn't she only two, maybe almost three? Why is this girl already sporting a crush on a boy?

And why is it that I have to get stuck dealing with a possessive toddler?


	6. 006

I blatantly ignored the screaming girl that seemed to hate my existence upon meeting me, not liking that I was taking 'her Adrien' away from her. I was just sort of dumbfounded at the revelation that apparently a two year old can have a crush on someone.

"Mine!" she screamed again, nearing tears and I rolled my eyes as Adrien actually came up and saw her, smiling brightly. 

"Chloe!" he exclaimed, happy to see her. Her personality did a one-eighty and she just jumped on the boy, hugging him tightly. I stared for a second before looking away, going back to my workbook that the teachers had given me after seeing me reading a learning book. I stuck my tongue out in concentration as I tried to remember how tospell these words in French rather than in English. He giggled, "Hi."

"You mine!" she pouted, and Adrien just stopped his tinkling laughter, and stared at Chloe for a while, before turning to look at me, and I jerked in surprise when I realized I had actually turned to look at them again without meaning to.

He pursed his lips before pushing her away, moving her hands away before running to me, "Nette's!" he shouted before wrapping his arms around me instead. 

I deadpanned.

Again, aren't these kids  _two_?

"How cute!" I heard one of the ladies, Mrs. Blanc coo at us, to which I deadpanned at.

"No."

-

"So! How was your first day?" Mrs Agreste asked as soon as she came to pick us up, Mr. Agreste too busy to come along like he did in the morning. Adrien immediately ran up to her and jumped, she caught him immediately and spun him around. 

"Interesting." I pronounced slowly, making sure I said it right, as it was one of the words I was able to learn today. 

"Oh?" she asked, and I glanced towards Chloe where she was being carried by, who I assumed to be, her father, as he walked towards us I cringed. She turned to what I was looking at and let out an understanding 'ah' that actually annoyed me. "So you met Chloe, Adrien's other girl friend, hm? My boy is quite the smooth talker, isn't he?" She winked at me and I scoffed.

" _Sure_ ," I rolled my eyes and she gasped dramatically. 

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng! Did you just roll your eyes at  _me_?" she pretended to be devastated, putting the back of her hand to her forehead. I heard a chuckle next to us before I could respond, making me look up at the man. 

"Well, good afternoon Mrs. Agreste, how are you doing?" he smiled, amused,  
 before looking down at me. "And who is this?" Chloe stuck her tongue out at me, and I 'humphed' and stuck my hand out for him to shake. He seemed pleasantly surprised before putting his hand and mine and shook it.

"Marinette."

He smiled, "Hello, Marinette, I am Chloe's father, Andre Bourgeios. I hope you and Chloe can become close friends!"

I took my hand back and shook my head, "No."

He jerked back and Mrs. Agreste sighed, "You'll have to forgive her. It seems that she and Chloe don't get along and for some reason this girl knows how to hold a grudge."

Mr. Bourgeios chuckled, "So she's not yours? I had already assumed, but she seems to be with you..."

"Oh, no, no, she's the daughter of a close friend of mine. Sabine and Tom, the owners of a   
_boulangerie_ , and quite honestly my favorite!" she explained, smiling as she talked about my parents, making my lips twitch.

"Oh, your favorite? I'll have to go some time with Audrey and Chloe!"

"Yes, you should! But they won't return for another three days, so you'll have to wait until then, I'm afraid."

I sighed, _'What a typical conversation between adults... Wait... I am an adult.'_  I frown at the thought and looked up to see Adrien and Chloe playing a hand game and I pouted.  _'Maybe I should act more like a kid...ugh, no, my pride would be damaged forever...'_

"Ah, well, we should head home, have to feed the kids and keep them occupied until bath and bed time!" Mrs. Argreste informed. Mr. Bourgeios nodded, and bid his farewell with her while Chloe whined about not wanting to leave Adrien.

"Bye, Mr. Bourgeios," I called, waving and he waved back with a big smile. I looked at Chloe, who was giving me a pretty nasty look for a girl her age. I look up to Mrs. Agreste who was giving me a knowing look. "What?"

"Are you  _jealous_ , Marinette?"

" _Jealous_ ," I repeated the word, tilted my head. It was a word I had learned today, my brain instantly translating and understanding it. I glowered at her, crossing my arms, " _No_."

"Just asking, don't look at me like that, young lady," she scolded. I turned away with a huff as we made our way to the vehicle that awaited us. It was another thing that had surprised me when we had headed to the daycare in the morning.

Adrien's family seemed to be quite well-off and I was glad that they didn't have to worry about money in this age. 

My family was doing good as well, maybe not as well as the Agreste's, but still made quite a bit a money. Tom's baking was extraordinary, and Sabine's was a treasure to the French as her recipes and pastries were not of the same country. She didn't always bake, mostly manning the front, but when she did,  _boy_  would we have customers.

I blinked, we were already back to the household, surprising me. I must miss my parents, to have been so deep in thought about them to not even pay attention to my surroundings.

We enter the home, Adrien running in and immediately going to the kitchen and I giggled, he really loved to eat. I recently learned that he really liked croissants, and he definitely loved food.

Sitting down at our much smaller table that was next to the actual dining table and taking out my work book and keep learning more words. Adrien was asking for something from Mrs. Agreste, but I didn't manage to hear what it was he wanted. 

"Nette, Nette!" he came up to me, holding something out, I glanced before leaning over and taking a bite of the pastry he held out to me. "Yummy?"

I chewed, slowing down as I tasted something familiar within the crunchy pastry, but I swallowed, not really knowing what felt wrong, "Yum." He clapped, before sitting down next to me, munching on his dessert, I scratched my neck as I read over my newer words. I was on chapter three now, having been carefully studying the other words until I was able to spell them correctly.

I coughed, clearing my throat, but it was a lot harder than usual, and I strained to do so. It was also getting harder to breathe, I started scratching my arms when they tickling, making me look, noticing red patches scattered around.

"Nette?" I looked at Adrien with wide eyes as he held out his half eaten pastry to me and I saw what was inside of it. I panicked.

" _MRS. AGRESTE!"_ I shouted as loud as I could with my throat constricting, she jumped, whirling around with a knife in her hand.

"Marinette! Don't scare me when I'm holding a kn-  _oh my god_ ," she gasped upon seeing my state. " _GABRIEL_." She yelled, hurrying over to me and trying to figure out what happened.

He came running in within seconds, looking around frantically before spotting us and jerked himself our way.

"What happened?!" he asked, frantic as he looked at all the red patches on my skin and I breathe hard, trying to get air in and out. But I could feel my throat closing and I was terrified. I have to tell them. I have to. It was important to know, really, but it had completely slipped my mind, as only the daycare and babysitters really needed to know, and it was all on my papers, but it never came to mind that maybe the Agreste's didn't know. 

My mouth opened as I looked at Adrien's dessert, managing to rasp out the words that my mother made me learn, repeat over and over until I got it right. 

"I'm allergic to chocolate."


	7. 007

The irony of the situation was actually really amusing. 

I was the daughter of a pastry chef and I was allergic to chocolate, which was used for quite a lot of desserts. It would have been even more ironic if I had been allergic to wheat. It was also sad, to be allergic to something so delicious and comforting.

It's not sad, it's depressing. 

Absolutely  _sucks_.

I love chocolate, but as it turns out, I'm deathly allergic to it.

All these thoughts are while I'm gasping and choking for air Adrien was crying, probably just seeing the whole thing as terrifying, and honestly that's the last I see of him, being in his father's arms, before the ambulance doors shut and someone is grabbing my hand.

I look over, squinting to see the person as they came out blurry. 

"It'll be okay, Marinette. You're going to be okay." She sobbed, but everything sounded distance, I could barely make out what she had said, and my eyes rolled back before everything went completely black.

-

_"You know, Marianne, you're never going to get better if you don't do as I say. I'm just trying to get you to follow the doctor's orders," my mother sighed. "You know better than to over-exert yourself."_

_"I just want to be like the other kids, mom!" I groaned, throwing myself back onto my bed, crossing my arms._

_"But you aren't like other kids, Mari, your body is a lot weaker than most."_

_I pouted, "I know...I just wanted to play..."_

_She sighed, petting my hair, "It's okay, I know, dear. But until you recover, you can't do things like that."_

_I scoffed, swatting her hand away and rolling over so I wouldn't have to see her, "Whatever."  
_

_-_

I opened my eyes, only to shut them real tight immediately, hissing at the light. Slowly, I cracked open my eyes, before fluttering them open to adjust to the lighting. It was ridiculously bright, and the white color of thee walls did not help at all.

_'Wait, white?'_

I moved my stiff neck to the right, seeing two bodies asleep in a chair that did not at all look comfortable. Both blonde, and one significantly smaller than the other.

"A...drien?" I rasped, my throat dry. How long was I out? What happened? His eyes scrunched before opening them and met my eyes. He climbed out of his arms, waking her up before jumping on my bed.

"Nette!" he cried, lying next to me and hugging me gently, the most careful I've ever seen him be.

"You're finally awake..." Mrs. Agreste breathed out, running a hand down her face. "Oh, Marinette, I'm so sorry. I didn't know..."

"It's okay," I whispered, bringing my hand up so I could pet Adrien's hair, not really knowing what urged me to do that. "I know."

"I called your parents, they want to come back but they want to know what you'll say."

"No, I'm okay."

"Marinette, you almost died."

_'Wouldn't be the first time.'_

"I'm okay."

"Marinette-"

"I'm okay."

"But-"

"I'm  _okay_."

My eyes flickered down to Adrien who had fallen back asleep, eyes puffy, nose and cheeks red. I leaned my head on top of his and breathed, still looking at him, I smiled and shut my eyes.

My conscience faded out quicker than I wanted it to, but I heard Mrs. Agreste scoff before a small 'click' and I was out.

-

"So, she had an allergic reaction? Oh, poor dear...is it okay for her to be up and walking?" Mrs. Blanc asked, as we were being dropped off, Mrs. Agreste had to give them the doctor's note.

"She insisted she was fine, the doctor just asks that she doesn't walk around too much, no running, and just...make sure she doesn't eat chocolate," she handed Mrs. Blanc to Epipens that had been given to us as a precaution. We had a lot more back at their home, but we were advised to give at least two of them to the daycare.

"Yes, of course. I'll make sure to read over her allergies so I know what else to watch out for."

"Thank you, chocolate seems to be the only one that causes major reactions, the others just give her hives on her skin."

I decided to make my way to my seat as they continued talking, Adrien walking beside me quietly, holding my hand. Since we got back from the hospital, he's been clingy, not wanting to be away from me.

It was getting a little annoying but I could understand why he was so paranoid, I had literally almost died right in front of him. I was lucky to wake up only a couple hours after the reaction. 

Adrien seemed most reassured once I was in his line of sight, next to me, or holding my hand. Or, you know, all of thee above, like right now.

We sat down and immediately I started working on learning more words, and for once, Adrien didn't seem to want to play anything and instead watched me curiously. I looked up at him, making him raise his eyes from my book to me, eyes shining with interest. I smiled and scooted over closer, and showing him what I was doing.

Iflipped back a few pages to previous chapter to show him easier words and pointed to one," _Dog._ "  _Chien_. 

"D...dog...?" he repeated, staring at the word, I nodded.

"Dog."

"Dog!" I laughed at how accomplished he looked before flipping the page. 

"Where's the dog?" I asked him, the page consisted of a park with different people, animals, objects, most of which the names of you learn o the previous page where a picture is next t the word.

He stared at the page, eyes flickering around it before pointing to a brown dog, "Dog!"

"Good!" I pet his hair, smiling at him. He grinned and giggled, before flipping the page back and watching me, expectant. I tilt my head. Did he want me to teach him? Instead, I go further back to where the alphabet is, and start with that instead. 

If he wants to know words, he's going to need to know the letters first.

"A...B...C..." I started, going through all the letters until I finished, then went back to the beginning. "A."

"...A..."

"B."

"...B!"

"C."

"Shee."

"No.  _C_."

He furrowed his eyebrows, "...C...!" I nodded, and kept going.

Pausing, as he said the next letter, I stared at him and pondered on the future. Where would he and I be, years from now? Would be still be as close as we are, or would we drift apart, severed by differences, opinions, perspective, and beliefs?

He looked up from the book again, smiling so bright, so innocently, eyes twinkling as he awaited the next letter to leave my lips. I can only hope that he stays as radiant as he is now.

But no one can escape cruel fate and reality.

Not even I could, and I already died.

 


	8. 008

My third and final day with the Agreste's wasn't too eventful, just spent ignoring and distancing myself from Chloe who just seemed to have it out for me. It was rather annoying having to keep getting up from my chosen spot whenever she would come screech in my ear.

She's lucky I have more self control or I would actually punch her. 

In my escape from Chloe once again, I managed to bump into a red head- and when I say red, I really mean red. Like, it looked like was dyed red, and honestly, it looked really nice on the boy, and his blue eyes contrasted with it greatly, though his pale skin made him look sickly, he seemed healthy.

He looked at me quietly, looking up from his scribbles to me as I sat down at the same table as him.

"Hi."

"Hewwo..." he mumbled, shyly, before going back to scribbling, though much slower. I turned to my own business, which was back to my new workbook. It was a peaceful silence to me, and the day seem to go buy rather quickly.

Before I knew it, Adrien was crying, not letting go of my hand as my parents tried to take me back home. I stared at him, trying to figure out just why this boy was so  _attached_. He was such a popular child, but he always chose  _me_ , and while I don't mind it,  _this_  was too much.

"Adrien," I started, his cries ceasing slightly, as he sniffled, frowning, "this is not good bye, this is a see you later." I had taught him the phrases just today so he should still know what it means. His frown didn't go away, rather, it morphed into a pout, but he nodded. Giving him a quick hug, I pried his hand off of mine, and waved at him, going with my parents and finally leaving the Agreste home.

"How was your stay with them, Mari?" my mother asked, smiling down at me as we walked.

"It was fun," I admitted, "but I don't want to do it again."

"Oh?" Father chuckled, "Why is that?"

"Gabriel is too perspective, I don't like him."

"Well, Mari, some would say you're too analytical, but we still love you."

I made a face, "That's different."

They simply laughed.

-

In all honesty, going back to my own daycare was anti-climatic. Everything was far more chaotic, and I admitted to myself that I did miss the quiet control of Adrien's class, it was simply that. The stark difference between high class and lower and middle class would always be obvious.

I sighed, walking down the hall to my class, turning the corner only to run right into a wall. Due to the impact and my small being nothing against the wall, I fell back. I blinked, as I saw, rather than a wall, a pair of legs.

Tilting my head back, I was met with concerned, honey-brown eyes that sparkled with light only a child could hold, but still shone she brightly in her eyes even as she peered down at me.

"Oh my!" she exclaimed, "Sorry for bumping into you little miss!" Her voice seemed to match her eyes,  _warm honey_. 

"It's fine," I mumbled, pushing myself up to stand, fiddling with my fingers, staring at the ground as to avoid looking at her.

"You okay, little miss? You took quite a fall..."

"My name is Marinette, not little miss." I deflected, trying to stop her from calling me such things.

"Marinette? What a beautiful name!" Her smile shone bright like star, even when billions of miles away, it still had a shine that would make anyone jealous. 

Her saying my name was worse than the nickname, damn it. 

"Well, Marinette, I am Ms. Aime, I am the primary school teacher in the other building. Do you where Mrs. Baudrillard is?" The woman who I now know as Mrs. Aime, asked sweetly, explaining it slowly. I rolled my eyes, noticing her flinch at my reaction.

"I'm not stupid," I told her simply, "speak normally. Mrs. Baudrillard is in her office." I had been studying my new books quite a bit before coming back to my daycare. My vocabulary was expanding, and while I understood a lot, it was still a little difficult to pronounce words. Which is why I study and practice so much.

"I-I see...thank you, Marinette." 

"Is that all?"

"Ah, um, yes."

"Have a good day, Ms. Aime," I bid her, walking around her and headed to my class room once more. I felt my face heating up, and after closing the door behind me, I let out a shaky breath.

My heart was beating so fast.

Too fast.

I brought my hands up to my cheeks, feeling the warmth, biting my lower lip. There was no way I...I couldn't be. No. I-

_"Marinette? What a beautiful name!"_

Damn it, I am.

I have a stupid-ass crush on that teacher. That really pretty teacher with honey brown eyes that sparkle with child-like excitement-

Wow, I'm  _whipped_. I literally just ran into the woman and I'm acting like she's the love of my life. I think the fuck not, you trick as bitch if you think I'm going to let that happen.

"I'm sorry, is Miss Marinette in this class- oh, Marinette!" I stared at Ms. Aime blankly; are you kidding me? "Can I borrow you for a while?"

"Not my decision, ask the teacher."

Her grin stretched wide, seemingly excited about my answer. "You're absolutely right. Madame Neller, would you mind if I-"

"Take the brat," my jaw dropped at her lack of reluctance.

"I feel betrayed, Madame Neller," I humphed, hands on my hips in disbelief.

"And I didn't ask for you sassy remarks at my decision. Get out of here, Ms. Aime wants to speak with you," she looked straight into my eyes, " _brat_."

"Old hag."

"Go ahead and keep her for the day, just bring her back for pick up."

"I'm going to get you for this you-"

" _Thank you_ , Madame Neller, I will definitely bring her back for her parent's to pick her up." Ms. Aime picked me up, interrupting mine and Madame Neller's petty argument. One of the many that has taken as she picked up on my sarcastic comments and obvious higher intellect, she didn't see a reason to baby me like everyone else. Which I greatly appreciated, but we more enjoyed nagging at each other.

The old woman was just a sarcastic and was not afraid to hurt my feelings. Especially when I slipped out a few swear words towards her after a rather  _heated_  argument over our heights.

Ms. Aime carried me into the other building, which was generally for primary students. She took me into a class room, which I assumed was hers what with the outside having her name on a plaque. She set me down before sitting down on a chair, she gestured for me to do the same, and since I couldn't really do anything else (except maybe  _run_ ), I pulled a chair out and sat down in front of her. I pushed the rising heat away, willing myself to keep a stoic face while facing this woman.

"So I couldn't help but noticed that you're rather smart for a two year old."

Abort mission. I repeat, abort mission.

"I have no idea what you're talking about you cretin."

"That's a wonderful way of calling me stupid, Marinette."

Damn it.


	9. 009

"How did you know I'm two?"

"Your class is only for two year olds, how big is your vocabulary?"

"Extensive. Why did you want to pull me out from my class just to ask me questions?"

"I wanted to know how much knowledge is in such a little girl and why you're still in  _daycare_."

I opened my mouth but nothing came out, so I clamped it back shut, and accepted her response. She's not wrong, and I'm surprised she's the first one to really call me out on it. No one has acted out on their curiosity yet, usually just taken aback with my responses.

"So? What now?" I asked, crossing my arms.

She smiled, lacing her fingers together as she leaned over her desk to peer at me, "I want you to take some tests to see how smart you are."

"And I'm guessing it's not just going to be vocabulary."

"You got it."

"So let me get this right," I sighed, uncrossing my arms and resting my right elbow on the arm of the chair, letting the left fall into my lap. "You want me to take a multitude of tests just to satisfy your curiosity on my IQ?"

"Yes."

"It probably won't go to well at this point in time. As much as I am good at speaking, spelling, reading and writing is still something I'm terrible at."

She frowned, leaning back in her chair.

"I see..." she nodded, "I will wait until you're in primary, once you've learned more." She clapped her hands together, "Would that be alright, Marinette"

I huffed, look away, feeling my cheeks heat up, "Whatever."

She smiled, obviously giddy that I had agreed to what she has planned. I sighed.

"Look, I'm okay with all of this, but I don't want to skip grades either. I'm comfortable where I am, I don't want to be seen as special just because I'm 'smart' or a 'genius.' I don't want to be seen..."

She nodded, smiling warmly at me, making my cheeks heat stronger, by now spreading to my neck, I'm sure. "I understand, that's okay, Marinette. I won't push you to do anything you're uncomfortable with. I am but a teacher thriving to see the development and growing of a pupil, is all."

"Can I go back to my class now?"

"Madame Neller gave me permission to keep you the whole day, and I will gladly do so," she laughed, "I want you to sit through my class once thy return from recess. Just to see where you're at so I can start getting things started for when you arrive."

"I am regretting agreeing to this."

Her laugh echoes through the room.

~*~

"Why are you waiting with me?" I asked, exasperated.

"I want to meet the parents of these brains," she replied, tapping my head a few times.

I had sat through her class, her six year olds giving me curious glances but otherwise said nothing to or about me as I sat in Miss Aime's chair as she taught her class. Well, someone did ask if I was her daughter, but Miss Aime simply shook her head and explained that I was from the daycare in the other building. That was all it really took as she distracted them with the lesson, making them focus quite easily with her fun interactive teaching.

From what I've gathered, she'll have the same kids until the students are eleven or twelve, then they get another teacher.

A six years with the same teacher. Each year just getting more difficult.

"Miss Aime?" I blurted, "How old are you?"

"I'm twenty." I looked at her, eyebrows scrunched.  _She's too young to be a teacher._  "I was kind of like you, Marinette," she explained, "I was done with school by sixteen and went to a university to become a teacher. I was done within two years, doing extracurricular activities and volunteer hours and all the classes I needed. But I had wished there was someone to have been able to teach me as a child, to watch me, I was an easy target."

"But I'm not." I argued, defiantly.

"Not  _yet_ ," she corrected, "these kids are too young to understand that you're smarter than you should be. They're two, still barely acquiring words for their vocabulary to even for a sentence."

I frowned, taking what she said in to account, and I found that she's right. I haven't been picked on (not counting Chloe)  _yet_  because the kids in my daycare aren't grown enough to even understand what  _intelligence_  is. At some point when we're older, they'll begin to feel jealous, and anger, resentment, and kids tend to act out on their emotions.

"Marinette!" I perk up, smiling as my parents walk up to the pick-up area and I'm ready to run over. I hesitate before taking Miss Aime's hand in mine, no doubt surprising her not only with my actions, but with the first emotion I've shown her all day other than annoyance. I drag her along, my face now blank as it normally is. "Hi, macaron! How was school?" Tom, smiling over at me.

Who is this?" Sabine looked at Miss Aime in questioning, curiously look at out hands as I still held it.

Snatching it back and holding it close to my body, I feel my cheeks heat up once again for the billionth time today. My parents grin at my reaction, no doubt happy that I'm embarrassed (which they found they can't do often).

"I'm Lilli Aime, I'm a teacher from the primary section of the building over. I had the pleasure of meeting your daughter today, and I just wanted to meet you as well!"

"Oh, I see!" Sabine smiles at her, content with the answer. "It's nice to meet you! I'm Sabine, and this is my husband, Tom."

"The pleasure is all mine, you have quite an intelligent girl."

Tom chuckles, "Don't we know it."

Miss Aime judges me to go over to my parents, "Well, I'll let you go, I'm sure you're busy! See you next time, Marinette?" She looks at me hopefully.

I huff, looking away, but nod.

_Why am I put into these situations?_


	10. 010

School went on with Miss Aime visiting from time to time whenever she didn't have a class. Although externally, I voiced my annoyance, I definitely did enjoy the new presence in my life. My small circle of social interaction was expanded by another person.

A special person.

"Mari?" I look up from work book, meeting my mother's loving smile. "What are you up to?"

"Studying my French," I responded, lifting the book for emphasis. She nods, smile widening.

"How would you feel about learning Chinese?"

"Chinese? Your native language?"

"Yes."

I look away, staring at the wall. I never really thought about learning  _another_  language on top of French, I already knew English because of my memories. After getting the basics down on the French language, it became easier to learn words and forming sentences.

I suppose since Sabine is Chinese, it would make sense to want to teach her daughter her native language.

Turning back to her, she was still there, waiting patiently. I suppose she's grown used to watching the gears in my head turn, thinking logically rather than giving spontaneous and un-thought-through answers which is what you would expect from any other child.

"I would love to, mama."

I knew I made the right decision when her shoulders sagged ever so slightly in relief, as if she had already thought of me possibly rejecting the idea of learning Chinese.

"When do you want to start?"

I close my workbook without hesitation, "Now."

-

"You're learning Chinese?" Miss Aime look of surprise was expected, as she looks down at the new book I was working through. My class had been let out for recess and I had gone to her class without a second thought. She simply gave me a smile as she continued her class as I sat at her desk, eventually handing out worksheets to her class and letting them work.

I nod, "It's extremely difficult."

"I bet it is, is there a reason to why you started now?"

I look up at her, "I am half Chinese," I explained, she nodded, probably remembering my mother. "Mom asked me if I wanted to learn, and I wasn't opposed to the idea, so..."

"What about your French?" She crossed her arms, watching me with a critical eye. I raised an eyebrow at her, assuming that I know what she's thinking.

"I'm still studying that as well, and I am intermediate in it, seeing as I'm working through a first year high school book."

She studied me for a moment before nodding.

"Alright. I get it, and I suppose your thoughts before accepting was that it must be natural for a mother to want their child learn their language if they're from another ethnicity. You've been learning French seeing as you live in Paris, but it is not her native tongue- and knowing you, you hadn't thought of learning another language until she brought up."

"You assumption is terrifyingly accurate, I hope you know."

"I already told you," she squat down, smiling as she tapped my nose. "I was just like you. It's easy to figure your thoughts out because we think alike."

"Trust me," I frowned, "we're not alike."

"Oh, we're very different, I know. But just because we're different, doesn't mean that how we process our thoughts are."

"Sometimes I dislike talking to you."

"That's a shame, because I enjoy all my conversations with you, little macaron."

My face heats up at the nickname, knowing she got it from the time she was present for my parents picking me up.

I turned away from her, but found myself unable to concentrate on my work any longer.

 _Great_.


	11. 011

People find acceptance as a difficult process. 

To accept, you have to fully understand something, and truly  _think_ about what you're trying to accept. Because it's not just agreeing on an opinion, when you accept something, it's  _fully bringing_ that something into your life and mindset. 

Family was hard for me to accept after I died. 

 _Family_  is usually one of the easiest things for you to accept, as it's what you're surrounded with your whole life. But as a person who still remembers their previous life, I couldn't fully bring myself to accept this new family- a family that wasn't mine; and even before then, family was still difficult, what with all the problems I had because of my sickness, I pushed everyone away.

But on my fifth birthday, I realized I had spent a good long time analyzing this new family, and think about my life- Marianne's life and then Marinette's life.

Marinette- someone who I simply thought to be a fictional character created by Thomas Astruc, a show I had watched out of curiosity and fell in love with it all. But it had been years since I had watched it; sickness made me drop a lot of things, more focused on trying  _not to die._

But on my fifth birthday, I finally,  _truly,_  accepted it all.

 _I'm finally five_ , was my thought process as I blow out the candles to my cake, my parents cheering, and I roll my eyes at their enthusiasm, but smile either way because I've learned to love their ways. As much as I don't want to forget that their not  _Marianne's_  parents, I've accepted that my life as Marianne is done, and that  _I am_ Marinette Duapain-Cheng. Tom and Sabine are  _my_  parents. 

_This is my life now._

I giggled as  _my father_  took some of the frosting and swiped it across  _my mother's_ face, making her gasp and look at him in disbelief before grasping  _chunk of the cake_  and shoved it on his cheek.

I burst out laughing at the sight, and they both turn to me, smiling before they looked at each other other and both grabbed the once beautiful and delicious looking cake and I screamed as they smashed the rest of it in my face.

Needless to say, we all spent quite a while trying to get frosting out of my hair. Two days later and I'm still blowing frosting out of my nose.

But I wouldn't have it any other way.

_This is my family now._

_-_

I learned that Adrien was starting homeschooling while I was starting what was commonly referred to as elementary school in America, I was a little thrown off by the fact that I wouldn't actually get to see him at school. Sure, he went to a fancier daycare than I did, but that was because Gabriel Agreste is  _extra_. 

"Why aren't you letting him go to public school?" I had asked the man one day, staring up at him through my eyelashes, Adrien had run off the find something he wanted to show me. Mrs. Agreste was in the kitchen preparing some snacks and had left me alone with the man that seemed to be the only one suspicious of my intelligence.

"He is my son," he replied, as if that reason alone was enough to be an excuse.

"He'll never get to have friends," I turned to the man, "restriction on human contact is bad for a person, it can change a person for worse if done without choice."

He glared down at me, "And what would you know of that, Miss Dupain-Cheng?"

I rolled my eyes, "I picked up a psychology book the other day when I got tired of repeating 'wo de mingzi shi mali nei te; ni jiao shenme mingzi ' to my mother."

I was mildly satisfied when Gabriel looked taken aback by speaking in another language, but said nothing and gave a dramatic pause.

"While I may not know if it'll happen to him, as his closest  _friend_ , I will worry about his mental health just as much as I worry about him tripping over one of his toys."

"You shouldn't worry, Marinette," Mrs. Agreste's voice came from behind me, making me turn to look at her, slightly annoyed that the woman had come back already. "I'll take care of him while you're gone, he is my precious son, after all." She smiled tenderly.

I nodded, pursing my lips.

"Marinette," I looked up at Mr. Agreste, "don't make me question whether or not you are a threat. I have thought more than once if it is a wise idea to have you stay in Adrien's life, whether you be a good influence, or a  _bad_  one; and if I feel that you are no longer needed in his life, I will make sure you will never have contact with him again."

"Gabriel!" Miss Agreste gasped in disbelief, and I saw a hint of anger in her usually warm eyes.

"You may be able to control his life now, and even without me in his life, he will rebel," I stated, looking up at him. "Adrien is a carefree soul, he cannot be contained for long. You may do so if you please, it will not affect me in any way, but him. You will  _damage_  him, intentional or not, and eventually, he will fight back to be  _free_. To be  _human_."

"Marinette! Marinette!" 

We all turn to look at the small blond boy running up holding some new toy he must have gotten recently- until he tripped over one of the toys that was left on the floor. The new toy flew in the air, while Adrien actually face planted before my very eyes, before clanking on the floor.

I sigh, rushing over to him when he lifted his face to reveal glassy eyes along with his red nose and forehead. I pat his head as he hugged me, sniffling, trying not to cry, glancing over at Mr. Agreste with a pointed look.

Said man simply turned away with a frown while Mrs. Agreste set the snacks down and rushed over to her son.

Needless to say, I did not like Gabriel Agreste.


	12. 012

Weirdly enough, I spent my time in daycare more with Nathaniel because of his quietness. He didn't speak out much, normally just colored in the coloring books- and he was one of those few kids who could  _stay inside the lines_.

That's a feat in itself at this age.

So, I stuck myself at his table most of the time when I was able to, reading quietly, listening to him color, the click of a crayon being set down, and the slide of one being moved on the table as he picks another up.

It's nice.

Sure, there are usually kids screaming and crying while we're at our table, but it doesn't matter. It's just us in our quiet bubble.

Until, finally, I felt a tap on my shoulder, making me turn away from my book and to the red head next to me.

"Yes?" I questioned, waiting patiently as he squirmed for a few seconds under my gaze. He took a sheet out from under the table, sliding it over to me.

"For you..." he mumbled, going back to his coloring. I stared at him for a but longer, then tore my gaze away and to the paper, blinking.

It was me.

Well, a child's rendition of what looked like me, of course. If I remember, Nathaniel becomes a great artist, cut he's obviously not going to be amazing right off the bat.

Although, it was better than most of the kids' in here.

So, it was a drawing of me, sitting in my chair, at the table, reading a book. But what I noticed was that he seemed to try really hard on my eyes. For what reason, I'm not sure.

I turned my head to him again, "Nathaniel," he looked up, nervous. I smiled, "Thank you."

He smiled back, nodded his head, then again went back to coloring.

Sliding the paper off the table, I placed it carefully in my 'take-home-folder' and inside my backpack.

Kids can be cute...sometimes.

-

_I take my words back._

My eye twitched, watching as Miss Aime's kids ran around the room, screaming and dancing. Said teacher of the class had  to leave the room as another teacher needed help with something. She smiled at me, and said,  _"You can take care of them, right?"_

She left shortly after because I told her to  _leave it to me_.

Because I'm whipped.

 _Okay_ , I thought, climbing on to the desk, a notebook in hand.  _I'm not taking this shit anymore_.

"HEY!" I yelled, making them stop to look at me, on top of their teacher's desk, eyes narrowed at them. "Listen here, you little shits," mouths dropped open, "I'm in charge here, whether you like it or not. And since  _I'm_  in charge,  _I'm_  telling you to  _sit your asses down_  before I stop playing nice."

It was silent before a girl laughed obnoxiously, "You're only five, we're  _seven_. Just because you're using  _bad words_  doesn't mean you're the boss of us."

"Wrong." I grabbed the apple I had brought for Miss Aime from the desk and chucked it at the girl, who screamed as she barely dodged it. " _You're_  teacher said I was the boss of you, and I'd like to stay as her favorite, thanks," I sneered.

"W'we're gonna t-tell on you!" A boy stammered, pointing his grubby finger at me.

"Okay," I shrugged, "but if you tattle on me, I'll tattle on you." I hold up my notebook, "In here I've written all the little secrets everyone thinks no one knows, but  _I do_. Because I've sat in this chair," pointing to Miss Aime's chair, "and I've watched you idiots for  _months._ So, if you don't sit down, and stay to yourselves, I will start reading off  _all_  of your secrets. One. By. One."

The girl from before, who I remember as Angelina, scoffed, "Whatever," before she turned to her friends. "I want that beanbag, so move."

Sitting down at the edge of the desk, I crossed my legs, and started flipping through my notebook. 

"Angelina," I said out loud, as if reading a story book, "stole Maggie's doll when she brought it to school and spread the rumor that Elena did it." I started, making Angelina's mouth drop, and Maggie stood, infuriated, screeching.

"WHAT?!"

"She also filled Max's shoes with sand because she was mad that he had stepped on her new shoes."

Max whirled around, "It was  _you_?!"

"N-no! She's lying!"

"The only liars here in this room is you all," I held up my notebook. "and I have a majority of your lies in here, from all of you. All your little secrets, in the palm on my hand, and I can read them, but you can't, because they're in Chinese."

"That's not fair! You're cheating!" Felix stood  from his chair, pointing at me in an accusing matter.

"Boo-hoo," I drawled, "life isn't fair."  _If only they knew how true those words were for me_. "I'm going to ask you  _again_ , to get your asses in your chairs, and actually  _do your work_."

Thirty minutes later, Miss Aime rushes in, out of breath. "Sorry that took so long! Oh, everyone's behaving so well, I'm so happy you all listened to Marinette!" she smiled, looking at her students. Some glanced over at me, and I gave my best  _'if you tell her, I'll kill you'_ look.

Needless to say, I'd make an awesome teacher.

Just maybe not for seven year old kids.


	13. 013

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette meets Luka.
> 
> [and also a point a view that isn't marinette's, yay]

I met a curious child, he seemed to be slightly older, or he was just tall for his age, I wasn't sure. 

But he was strange.

Him and his mother had come in to our bakery, I was helping dad design a cake. Though I hadn't put much effort into drawing much, so the design wasn't beautiful, but you could tell where I was going with it.

Dad understood it pretty well, seeing as his drawings are usually chicken scratch.

But mom was getting some pastries for a woman with a unique accent, and suddenly I was having a staring contest with this boy with- wow, okay, really pretty eyes.

"Marinette?" I turned back to my father, who was waiting.

"Shi de, fuqin?" I asked, slipping in to Chinese easily, making my mother shake her head.

"Mari, that's not fair!"

I shrugged, "Shenghuo shi bu gongping de." Mom snorted while my father sulked dramatically. 

"Quite a smart one you've got there, haven't ya?" The woman asked, laughing, "How old is she?"

"She'll be turning six soon," Mom replied, and the woman looked surprised, as did the boy. 

"Really?" I looked over, curiously, as the woman slipped into English. Though it was still heavily accented, then she returned to French. "I'm Anarka Couffaine. This is my oldest child, Luka, he'll be turning eight this year."

"Mari, go introduce yourself," Mother encouraged, and I hopped down from the counter, on to my stepping stool, and down to the floor, and walked up to the boy who I had previously thought was at least ten.

So he was pretty tall.

I stuck out my hand, "Hello, I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

The boy grabbed my eyes, still watching me carefully, "Nice to meet you, Marinette, my name is Luka Couffaine." Our hands dropped and yet, I found myself holding his gaze.

His hair is black, which is a stark difference to aqua eyes.

It bothered me on the way he watched me, it was as if he was trying to figure me out. Which is not a look I'd expect from a child two years older than me, physically. He seemed more mature than most kids, reminding me of Nathaniel with how quiet and reserved he is.

I narrowed my eyes at him. What are you trying to find?

"-and we just moved here from a farther town, Paris has always been a dream for me, and now I'm here, with my family," the woman smiled, "I have a daughter as well, she's Marinette's age, I'll bring her next time!"

"Please do, I'm sure Marinette would like another friend her again other than Adrien."

I broke the stare, pulling a face, "I have friends, mother."

"Like who? You can't say Miss Aime."

I huffed, crossing my arms, "Nathaniel is my friend."

"Why are they all boys?!" Papa wailed, making the two mothers laugh.

"I'll be sure to bring Juleka by some time, then, thank you for the bread. Come, Luka, time to go."

"Yes, mom." The boy answered, but hesitated in following. He then brought his hand up in a small wave, before following his mom.

I pursed my lips, "Bye, Luka!" I called after him, and the boy with black hair and bright aqua eyes looked over his shoulder at me, holding his mother's hand. I waved back at him, making his lips lift up.

The store door closed and I turned to my father, "Why are you so embarrassing, jeez. What's wrong with me having boy friends?"

All I got in response was a louder wail and a hearty laugh from mom.

-

"Hey, mom?" he called, swinging his and his mother's hand as they walked back to their new home. He was excited to go back to his baby sister, who couldn't come with them today because she had a cold. When he got a hum back, he continued, "You know how you and dad were teaching me about the songs from hearts?"

"Yes, did you finally hear it, dear?" she asked, excited.

He nodded, his arm stopped swinging, as he brought his free one up to place it over his heart. 

"I think I heard Marinette's."

"Oh!" she looked over curiously, "How was it?"

"It was...weird. Like it was- like there was two songs playing, trying to dominate the other." His mother stopped walking, and Luka did as well, looking up at her in question, "Mom?"

"Are you sure, Luka?"

"It- it's just what I think I heard..." he mumbled, toeing at the ground with his sneaker shyly.

Anarka looked back at the direction of where they came from, concerned. She had heard of such of thing, of course, her own song struggling to come to what it is today, but to see it in a child.

A heart song only quarrels when one is trying to find themselves, to find out who they are, their purpose. Usually happens during teenage mid-twenties, but Marinette- she's only five.

Why would a five year old's heart and soul be fighting against each other?


	14. 014

Unfortunately for me, my mother wanted me to have a play date with Mrs. Couffaine's kids while they got to know each other. They had come over to our bakery and mother had me show my two 'new friends' to my room. 

Juleka hid behind her brother the whole time, peeking at me curiously.

"This is my room," I told them blandly, after pushing the hatch open and walking up and inside to my room. It was just as the old Marinette's, but now it was mine. The walls were pink, and I didn't care much for the color, but I also didn't want to trouble anyone with painting the walls.

Not yet, anyways.

I sat down on the floor, and they did the same, looking around. 

"It's nice," Luka commented, nodding to himself, "not as girly as I thought it would me."

"Thanks," my lips quirked up into a small smile. 

"So, this is Juleka, my little sister," he nudged the girl with hair just as raven as his out from behind him and pushed her a little forward. She looked absolutely terrified of me, but I just smiled patiently.

This, this is a child I can work with. 

"Hello," I greeted her, "I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I like your hair."

She blinked, examining me for a moment. Juleka looked over at her brother for a second, who nodded encouragingly, before turning back to me. I waited for her, letting her take her time to do things her way.

Her cheeks flushed pink, sticking out her hand, "I-I'm Juleka Couffaine...nice to m-meet you M-M-Marinette."

I grinned, taking her hand gently.

After that, things went on pretty smoothly. I let my self loose and act like the child I physically am, and never got to be. We played hide and seek, house, marco-polo, and eventually, we calmed down to drawing and coloring. 

Luka had brought a guitar, apparently learning still, and had a book in front of him as he tried to teach himself a song. Juleka and I colored quietly as a gentle lull played in the background. 

Finally, our parents came up, Mrs. Couffaine smiling at her children.

"Alright, munchkins, time to go!" Juleka pouted, not seeming to want to go, but stood up and started picking up her papers. "Did you guys have fun?"

Luka, who was finishing packing up his guitar, smiled lightly, "Yes, we did."

That was enough for Mrs. Couffaine, who seemed relieved.

Then I realized that she must have been worried about her quiet, withdrawn children being able to make friends when they had only just moved here to Paris. That got me thinking- is that how my parents feel?

Are they concerned that I won't be able to befriend other kids my age because of my maturity? Afraid that I'll push people away when they aren't at the same level of intellect? 

I purse my lips, before I smiled up at my parents, "Yeah, I made two new friends. So, I'd say I enjoyed my time."

The bright smiles I received only confirmed my suspicions.

And I didn't want my parents to be afraid.

-

It had been a while since I had gone to see Adrien, so I planted the idea to visit his family in my parents' brains, and not long after, we had set off to visit them. 

Adrien had gotten slightly taller in a year, but I was still taller than him, my legs being surprisingly long, and while my body wasn't disproportionate, it was weird being tall after being a not-so-tall person in my last life.

It's strange.

We walked up to the gates, arriving ten minutes after our departure, and rang their doorbell. Not waiting for too long, the door was answered by Mrs. Agreste, who smiled widely after seeing us.

"Sabine, Tom, Marinette! Hello, oh, it's so good to see you! Come in, come in!" she ushered us in, excitedly. "I haven't seen you all in a long while, how have you been?" She hugged my mother, planted kisses on her cheeks as greeting, and hugging my father as well.

"Marinette?!" I turn to the person who called my name, and there he was. My best friend. "You're here!" he ran, crashing into me none to gently and wrapped his arms around my body. "I missed you!"

"Miss you too," I mumbled, patting his back. He let go and backed away, grinning. "Your hair got longer."

"Yours did, too!" he reached out, running his hand through my long hair, and pulling it towards him, looking at it in awe. "I've always loved your hair."

"Thanks," I fiddled with my hair, "it has gotten pretty long. It grew really fast..." It was true. It had grown long so suddenly over the course of a couple of months, I was almost concerned. The length had originally been just below my chin, and suddenly it was resting on my collar bones.

I can't be bothered with cutting my hair, no one ever get's it how I want it to be. So, I gave up and decided to let it grow.

"Well, I like it long. So, keep letting it grow!" 

I rolled my eyes.

"Sure, sure."

His vocabulary had grown exponentially as well, and while I was still against him being home schooled, it wasn't doing harm yet.

"Mari, why don't you go with Adrien to the play room, maybe tell him about your knew friends!" my mother suggested, and Mrs. Agreste gasped.

"Mari made new friends?" she clapped her hands together, "I want to hear as well!"

"Yes, their mother is Anarka Couffaine, they recently moved here and when she had walked in our bakery, she had her son, Luka," Adrien's smile suddenly drops, and I tilt my head but pay no mind to it. "He's quite the cut boy! About two years older than Mari and Adrien, and she also has a daughter, Juleka. They came over and they all seem to get along quite well!"

"I'm glad, Marinette! I was worried that Adrien would be your only friend because of that smart brain of yours." 

Emilie's comment made me bristle, rubbing me the wrong way. 

It bothered me to have 'friends' that were physically my age, but not mentally, sure. But I knew there was nothing I could do about unless I wanted to be special.

And I didn't want to more than I already was.

I guess I would have to try harder to blend in, but how? What was the old Marinette in to?

"No!" Adrien suddenly shouted, making us all look at him. He seemed upset, brows furrowed as he looked at me. 

Now that's a look I'm definitely not used to receiving from him.

"What?" I asked.

"I don't want you to be friends with-with Luka!" he spat the name out, crossing his arms, tilting his chin up.

"Excuse me?" I scowled.

"Now, now, Adrien," Emilie tried to calm him, "Marinette can have as many friends as she wants. Just like you have so many."

"She can have friends! Just- just not Luka!"

My jaw dropped.

Now way.

"Adrien," my mother started, a small smile gracing her lips, "are you jealous?"

"Yes!" he answered, immediately.

Feeling my face heat up, I scoffed. I walked over to him, shoving him. He cried out, looking at me in betrayal, "There's nothing for you to be jealous about, silly. You're my best friend," I shoved him harder, and looked away from him, embarrassed that I have to do this, "not Luka."

It was quiet for a second, so I looked back at him. He was pouting, but seemed to be mulling it over. He looked up, meeting my eyes, "Promise you won't replace me?"

And suddenly, I thought about what Mr. Agreste had told me, oh-so long ago.

"Marinette, don't make me question whether or not you are a threat. I have thought more than once if it is a wise idea to have you stay in Adrien's life, whether you be a good influence, or a bad one; and if I feel that you are no longer needed in his life, I will make sure you will never have contact with him again."

I held out my pinkie finger to him, "Only if you promise to never forget me."

He grinned, hooking his with mine, "I promise!"

I ignored the small 'click' of a camera behind us.


	15. 015

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien and Luka meet.

I knew Adrien and Luka would have to meet eventually, sure. But so soon after I had made that promise with Adrien? 

Who the hell was doing this to me, seriously?

I had been lounging in my room, as usual on a Sunday, and had taken a break from both my French and Chinese books, picking up something random off the coffee table in the family room. I got comfortable on the couch, the television on low volume, leaving just a small amount of  _background noise_  just there around the room.

I had picking up a fashion magazine, and since the other magazines were about celebrities and houses, this was the next best thing.

Then I kept reading.

And reading.

And suddenly, I was curious enough to pick up the other edition because, wow, fashion here is so different than what I knew.

"Marinette," my mom called, "we have visitors! Mrs. Couffaine is here with Luka!" 

Unfortunately for her, I was too sucked into this weird state in where I focused solely on what was right in front of me.

Luka had apparently come in, and sat not too far from me, his guitar with him, and began playing idly. 

Then I was looking up at him, confused to his presence.

"When did you get here?" I asked him, and he just smiled at me, shaking his head. I had learning that Luka didn't talk much, and the liked to express himself a lot with his guitar.

He was really advanced for being eight.

"Let's go up to my room," I pointed up, smiling at him. I hugged the issue to me as we climbed up the stairs.

As usual, he sat on the floor, leaning against my bed, while I sat on it. Leaning back into my pillows and stuffed animals, I opened the magazine again, and was once again sucked into it.

Then,  I heard my mother again.

"Oh, Emilie! Hello, what a nice surprise! Come, Anarka is here, you guys can meet! Adrien, if you want, Marinette and her friend are up in her room."

"Thanks, Mama Sabine!" 

And that's how I found myself in my current situation.

-

"Who are  _you_?" Adrien glared at Luka, who didn't seem to like him either. 

"I'm Luka" he answered, shifting, uncomfortable.

Marinette, looked up from her magazine, noticing Adrien, finally. She blinked, "Oh," she smiled, "hi, Adrien. I didn't know you were coming over."

"We were passing by," he dismissed, still staring at Luka, who held his gaze as well. "So  _this_  is Luka."

"Yeah. Luka, this is Adrien, my best friend," his chest seem to puff up and Luka frowned. "Adrien, this is Luka, my new friend that I told you about. Juleka isn't here today, though."

Luka nodded while Adrien rolled his eyes, " _Delighted."_ He assessed their current positions and looked confused, "What are you guys even  _doing_?"

"I'm reading," Marinette explained, "and Luka is playing his guitar. It's what we usually do if Juleka isn't here."

"That's  _boring_ ," he whined.

Luka raised his eyebrow at the younger male, was this boy seriously Marinette's best friend? He had honestly thought that Marinette didn't stick too close to... _childish_  kids her age. He knew he was mature for his age, but Marinette...she was a whole other level of mature. It was almost scary.

"I'm a boring person," she said dryly.

"But you aren't," Luka looked back at her, smiling. "You're actually quite interesting." She scoffed but said nothing. Adrien fumed at the compliment that Luka slipped in so easily.

Who does he think he is?

" _Nette!_ " He called, climbing onto the bed and crawled over, lying down next to her. "It's three in the afternoon, dad will be mad if I don't take my nap. Will you sing for me?" He asked, looking at Luka with a smug smile.

Now this was new to Luka, he didn't even know that Marinette liked to sing.

"Sure," she finally put her magazine down, "what do you want me to sing?"

"Lavender's Blue!" he grinned, snuggling into her side as she habitually began playing with his hair. 

**(Song is from the 2015 Cinderella Movie, which neither belong to me; I just really like this song. /shrugs)**

_"Lavender's Blue, dilly, dilly, lavender's green._

_When I am king, dilly, dilly, you shall be queen._

_Who told you so, dilly, dilly, who told you so?_

_'Twas my own heart, dilly, dilly, that told me so."_

Her voice wasn't perfect, of course, it wasn't trained. But she knew how to sing, how to keep notes. Add the fact that she was still a child, her voice was still raw. Unpolished. 

But Luka was more curious about the song.

_"Call up your men, dilly, dilly, set them to work,_

_Some to the plough, dilly, dilly, some to the fork._

_Some to make hay, dilly, dilly, some to cut corn,_

_While you and I, dilly, dilly, keep ourselves warm._

_"Lavender's green, dilly, dilly, lavender's blue,_

_If you love me, dilly, dilly, I will love you._

_Let the birds sing, dilly, dilly, and the lambs play,_

_We shall be safe, dilly, dilly, out of harms way._

_"I love to dance, dilly, dilly, I love to sing,_

_When I am queen, dilly, dilly, you'll be my king._

_Who told me so, dilly, dilly, who told me so?_

_I told myself, dilly, dilly, I told me so."_

_-_

Adrien was breathing softly, hands clutching the material of her shirt, fast asleep. Luka blinked slowly, adjusting to the light of the room, his head now on a pillow.

There was hushed whispers, one sounding a lot like her mother. He turned his head, cracking open his eyes. "Mom?" 

"Oh, Luka," his mom whispered, smiling at him, "you're awake?"

"I guess?" he rubbed his eyes, but not moving from his spot, "I don't remember falling asleep."

"It's okay, Luka, we didn't want to wake you three either way."

"Three?" 

She just laughed, "Open your eyes, numb-skull."

So he did, and then he realized that his pillow was actually Marinette's arm, which wrapped loosely around to his back. Her other was resting in Adrien's hair, which was a mess at this point, his head resting on her stomach, curled into a ball next to her. 

Marinette herself didn't look like she was comfortable, yet she seemed to be sleeping just fine with the two boys on her. 

He sat up quickly, disturbing Marinette, who grumbled, turning her head as she re-positioned her arm. He looked over to his mother, seeing the other two with her, smiling at them in that weird  _motherly_  way.

"Please tell me you didn't take pictures."

"We took  _plenty_."

He dropped his head in his hands. 

"How did I even get up here? I was on the floor!"

"We came to check on you guys earlier, Marinette was still awake then, she asked us to help move you up so you would be more comfortable. We came back, and you all had situated yourselves- it was too cute to  _not_  take pictures!" Emilie gushed in a one breath, Sabine reminding her the breathe. 

He groaned.

 _Why are mothers so embarrassing?_  


	16. 016

When I turned seven, it wasn't uncommon to see Adrien, Luka, and I to be hanging out. Every now and then, I would get annoyed with the butting of heads, and I would snap at them. But usually, I was able to play peacemaker and they would get along to an extent.

Luka had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting Gabriel Agreste during one of his sleepovers at my house, but Emilie had invited us over for dinner and she was more than welcoming to have Luka over well.

"I don't like him," I whispered to him, making sure my parents couldn't hear me, "Adrien's father."

"Why?" he whispered back, and I pull a face.

"He's controlling, he expects too much from his son, it's not okay," I answered, shaking my head, "and he's ready to cut me out of Adrien's life at any given moment. I think the only thing stopping him is my relationship with Adrien and Mrs. Agreste adoring me."

"He doesn't sound very nice, then," he mumbles.

I pursed my lips, "It's not that he's not nice," I reasoned, but sighed. "He's an overprotective father, who also happens to not like me."

Luka turned his head towards me, so I returned his gaze, though I grew confused as to why he had yet to say anything, "Luka?"

"I..." he started, "I can't imagine anyone not liking you."

My eyes widen a bit, tripping over a small rock, but catching myself. Feeling the heat in my cheeks, I look away from him. 

Get it together! I'm a grown woman getting flustered over a subtly compliment from a nine year old. 

To try to hide my embarrassment, I scoffed, "You haven't met Chloe."

"Well she doesn't sound nice."

I threw him a look, "You don't even know her."

"She doesn't like you, which means she's not a nice person."

My jaw dropped slightly.

This kid...

"What is with you..." I grumble, looking away from this...this smooth talker. "Ah, we're almost there."

-

"And who is this?" Mr. Agreste questioned, leaning forward slightly to inspect Luka.

"This is my friend, Luka," I introduced, "he's already met Adrien, they're acquaintances."

He raised an eyebrow at me, "Not...friends?" I snorted. 

"They act more like rivals. For what, I have no idea."

Before Gabriel could press, Adrien comes running around the corner with an excited screech of "MARINETTE!" He skidded to a stop in front of me and Luka, his brow furrowing, pointing a finger at the other boy next to me. "What are you doing here?!" 

"Adrien, that is no way to treat a guest!" Mrs. Agreste chastised, making him shrink back. "Luka was spending the night at Marinette's when we invited them, so it's only natural that he comes with as well."

Adrien's mouth dropped, and threw a nasty glare at Luka, before looking at me with betrayal, "You're having a sleep over and you didn't invite me?" 

Oh, you have got to be kidding me.

I narrowed my eyes, "I did ask." I look at Gabriel Agreste, who avoided looking at either his wife or son. Mrs. Agreste seemed to catch on and turned to her husband with a frown.

"Is there something you need to tell me, Gabriel."

The man then threw me a glare- what is with me getting all these negative looks, I didn't do anything- before turning to his wife.

"Marinette called earlier, asking if Adrien could spend the night, I said no."

She crossed her arms and I had to hold myself back from laughing at the man, Mrs. Agreste was amazing, and always smiling. She was just a ball of sunshine through and through, a gentle and loving mother.

But Gabriel just seems to bring out this side of her.

"And why can't he?" she asked him, waiting for a pretty good excuse.

"Emilie," he hissed, "he is my son-"

"Did you carry him inside of you for nine months?" she shot back, and Mr. Agreste reeled back with wide eyes. 

"Well, no-"

"Did you have to suffer breathing and looking like a cow?"

"N-"

"Did you give birth to him?"

"No."

"You may have helped bring him to this world, but I did all the work," she sassed, "he's my son as much as he is yours, if not more. I get to have a say in whether or not our son can spend time with the only friends he has, don't you think, honey?"

I had to hide my face in Luka's shoulder, my shoulders shaking as I held in my laughs.

"Nette, come on, let's go play in my room!" he glanced at Luka, "I guess you can come, too."

I looped my arms around both of their arms, walking in the middle as we made our way to Adrien's room.

"Emilie-"

"Don't Emilie me, mister. I am not happy with you right now."

"Emil- where are you going- honey!"

I snickered, "I love watching him suffer."

"Huh?"

"Nothing, Adrien. Nothing."

Luka simply shook his head, but I noticed the small smile on his lips, and that was all I needed to know that he enjoyed it as well.


	17. 017

_The year I was eleven, I lost my support system._

"You're leaving?" I asked, leaning my back against his, and he sighed. 

"Mom wants to go on this trip, Juleka doesn't want to go so she's staying here with dad. I don't want her to be upset if neither of us want to go..."

"I understand," I nod, "I'm just going to miss you."

He turned, making me lose my balance at him moving out of the way. Regaining my balance, I sat up and looked over at him, and saw his face flushed as he looked at me with surprise.

"What?"

"I don't think I've ever heard you say something so caring before."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, I'm the most caring person in the world."

He laughed, shaking his head, his black hair ruffling with the motion, before smiling at me, "I'll miss you too, Marinette."

"How long are you going to be gone?"

"Three years, give or take."

" _Three years_?!" I echoed, furrowing my brows, "When do you leave? What are you going to do about school?"

"I leave in a week, and I'll be home schooled."

"That's...that's still a long time."

"Yes...I hope that when I return," he leans closer, resting his forehead on mine, "you're hearts' song will not be as sad."

I closed my eyes, "I hope so, too, Luka."

-

I easily threw my hair into a low bun, as it reached down to my shoulder blades when let down, I was determined to let it grow out. I didn't want to be like the original Marinette, and while I was already well on the way of straying from how she was, having short hair was something she had, having them in two pig tails constantly-

And I didn't want that.

Looking in the mirror, I frowned at my preteen body, I was definitely getting taller, my baby fat slowly turning into muscle from dance. I squinted, and brought my hands up to squeeze-

" _Crap_ , I'm getting  _boobs_ ," I groaned, and hit my head against the mirror. "Which means I'm closer to starting my menstrual cycle. This  _sucks_."

"What does, sweetie?" my mother asks and I look at her reflection in the mirror.

"I'm growing fat sacks on my chest and I'm not prepared to wear a bra." Dropping what she was holding, which happened to be a tray of food, and I hiss, "Aish!  _Mama_!" Turning in despair at the mess of cookies and milk on the floor.

" _My baby girl is growing up_ ," she sobbed and suddenly, my face was being squashed into her bosom.

"Mom, mom, calm down. Breathe," I soothed, patting her back, "It was bound to happen, no matter how much I dread the day I start my period."

She wailed harder, and dad came running up the stairs.

"What's going on?! Why is Mama crying?!"

"She's crying because I'm growing boobs and am closing in on the arrival of my period."

His eyes widened, before he starting crying as well, and scooping both of us up into his arms. I sighed, patting both of them.

"She's only  _eleven_!" Papa wailed, "Stop growing,  _please_!"

"Don't ask for the impossible, papa."

" _Mari_!"

"This family moment is nice and everything, but can it end?"

Dad cried harder.

-

"Marinette, did you hear?" Rose bounced, her long hair flopping around with her, "There's a new student! It's a  _girl_!"

"Whoopee," I droned with disinterest, flipping through my Korean Learning book. I already new French, English, and Chinese, so why not add on, right?

"It's no secret who it is, Rose," Juleka droned, "it's only been broadcast on every channel for the past week."

"Wait," I paused, glancing up at them, "why would a kid transferring to our school be so important as to be on every  _channel_?"

"You mean you haven't seen it?" Rose asked, tilting her head. My mind goes through memories of playing video games with dad, but never actually  _watching_  TV. Huh, I guess I was always doing something to preoccupy my attention to pay attention that.

"I don't watch much television."

"I'm no surprised, with how many books you have your nose stuck in," Juleka teased, and I pursed my lips. "It's the mayor's daughter."

My eyes widened, "Chloe Bourgeois is coming to our school."

"Yeah, she's actually in our-"

" _Mary-netty?"_  I scowled at the familiar voice, turning around to meet a disgusted blonde. "What are  _you_  doing here?"

"Getting an education," I crossed my arms, carefully keeping my place in my book with my finger, "which I can see you haven't been getting, since you pronounced my name incorrectly-  _again_."

Her face flushed, in what I'm guessing is both embarrassment and anger, "Just wait until I tell my father about this!"

"Go ahead," I shrugged, turning away and going back to my book, "he usually doesn't last long with my arguments."

" _You_ -"

"Oh, Miss Bourgeois, you're here! Good, let's get you to a seat so we can start class!" Miss Bustier greeted as she walked in, and rushed everyone to their seats. I sat at the way back, next to Nathaniel who doodled on the top corner of his paper before Miss Bustier started her lesson.

"Alright, class, as you all may know, Chloe is our new classmate! I expect everyone to be a friendly neighbor- yes,  _Marinette_ , I'm looking at you-" I huffed, looking away and out the window, "and welcome her to our class."

"Do you know her?" Nathaniel leaned over to ask, very quietly as Miss Bustier was started talking about- about  _something_. 

"Unfortunately," I mumbled, "we've never gotten along."

"I can tell," he chuckled before going quiet, attentively listening to the lecture, and I leaned my cheek on my palm, deciding to put in an effort to at least make it look like I care about the lesson.

I bit my lip as I thought about how Chloe and I met, all those years ago, when my parents had taken a trip and leaving me in the care of the Agreste family. Being taken to a  _sophisticated_  day care and Adrien choosing me over Chloe was something I shouldn't have been so smug about back then.

Closing my eyes, feeling the sting of tears.

I had accepted what happened,  _but it didn't make it hurt less_.

 


	18. 018

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (I was eight, when I last saw Adrien."

" _You can't do this!_ " I yelled, tears running down my face, as he turned away, letting his security guard drag me out of his house. " _Gabriel Agreste!_ " I sobbed, " _Let me see him!_ "

The world around me seemed to be going in slow motion, as I reached out to the man I despised the most. Watching as Mrs. Agreste tried to reason with him, and I saw Adrien peeking out, watching me wide,  _curious, unknowing_ eyes, but what was done was done.

Gorilla made it out the doors, and as it began closing, I couldn't hold it back anymore, " _You fucking bastard!_ "

I saw both him and Mrs. Agreste whirl around at my crude language, but I just kept kicking and screaming to be let go, to let me see him.

But I knew. 

"Karma will get you!" I raged, "Just you  _watch_!" The door finally closed and I continued to kick, though weaker this time. "It's not fair," I cried, hiccuping, "...it's not..."

I knew I wouldn't be able to see Adrien again.

-

The events leading up to this situation, was nothing I could have ever seen coming. No one did. There was no one to blame, because it was just an unfortunate accident that happened when it did.

I had been over at Adrien's house, and he had dragged me to his room once again, and sat me down at the play table while he began 'cooking' at his play kitchen.

"Marinette, I'm gonna be your husband!" he had exclaimed, setting my play food in front of me, and I had spluttered, taken aback. I looked up at him with wide eyes, "When we grow up, let's get married and be together forever like Father and Mother!" he smiled so innocently, and it was just so happy with the thought of it.

I felt the heat rise to my cheeks, and I huffed.

"I'll only marry you if you propose to me with a 17 carat ring and treat me like a princess," and this child had the audacity to hold out his pinkie towards me, smiling.

"Then it's another promise!" he grinned, and I pursed my lips, and hooked my little finger with his. "Best friends forever-ever, and I'll marry you when we're older!" Pushing my our thumbs together to kiss.

"Break this promise," I said, twisting our hands into a heart instead, and I pulled my hand away, breaking it, "then you break my heart."

He laughed and ran out of his room, "Mom, mom! Mari said yes!" I screeched at this and stood. I heard Mrs. Agreste laugh from another room.

"I did  _not_!" 

"Adrien don't run down the-  _Adrien!_ "

The next thing I knew, I heard Adrien yelp, and my blood ran cold as I heard thumping, before a final thud.

 _Silence_.

My breath quickened before I ran out of the room, looking over to where the sound came from, my eyes wide as I saw Gabriel and Emilie hurrying over to Adrien, who was at the bottom of the stairs, eyes closed.

"Adrien...?" I whispered, and I rushed down the stairs, "Adrien!"

I threw myself down next to him, assessing him for any injuries. Mrs. Agreste was crying, calling an ambulance, and Gabriel, didn't seem to want to touch him in fear of making things worse. 

I gasped, brushing his hair back, where a small gash was bleeding. I choked back my sobs, this was not a state of which I ever wanted to see him in. 

"Stupid, you knew better than to run down the stairs..." I cried, petting his hair. "You're going to be okay, you  _have_  to be. You made  me a promise you- you  _butt munch_!" 

When the ambulance got here, they took Adrien, and Gabriel as he told us to wait here, on the gurney and began their way to the hospital. Mrs. Agreste hugged me, holding me close to her.

"He was to be okay," she whispered, "he's going to be just fine, right Mari? He'll be fine. My baby boy is brave, and strong..."

"He has to be fine," I mumbled, "this wasn't supposed to happen."

-

As it turned out,  _no_ , Adrien wasn't okay. Other than the gash on his head, which was patched up easily, there wasn't anything physically wrong with him. 

Although, there seemed to have been a problem.

"They said the way he hit his head, that it...damaged, a part of his brain that stores memories. Unfortunately, Adrien has no recollection of anything except his name and age."

Mrs. Agreste wailed, and I stood their, with eyes wide as the boy hid behind his father's legs, looking at me as if I were a complete stranger. He seemed curious of me, but there was no recognition.

Adrien didn't know who I was.

In the span of a day, Adrien no longer remembered I was his best friend, that he made me promise to never forget him and to be friends forever-ever, to marry him only if he were to buy me a 17 carat ring.

I was no one to him.

But I could- I could simply recreate these memories, right? I can-

"I'm going to take advantage of this situation," Gabriel looked down at me, "I no longer want Marinette to be Adrien's life. She will not come within the vicinity, and definitely not around him."

"Gabriel!  _Now_  is not the time-"

" _No_ , Emilie, you  _know_  how I have felt about Marinette's influence, hell, even  _she_ knows," I flinched, looking up at him with wide eyes. "Since Adrien no longer even knows who she is, I will take this chance to make sure he doesn't get attached again."

"No," I hissed at him, "you can't do this- you can't take him away from me."

"I can," he leaned down, looking me straight in the eyes, "and I will. Gorilla, please escort Miss Dupain-Cheng out. She is no longer welcome at our home."

I absolutely, with all me being,  _ **loathe**  Gabriel Agreste_.

- 

_(I was eight, when I last saw Adrien.)_


	19. 019

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, and eventually a year passed since Gabriel Agreste shut me out of Adrien's life. It tore me to pieces every time I thought about it, and so, I did my best to forget.

But someone like me can't just forget, and it was utterly heart wrenching.

I remember, when Luka had come to visit, days later, my parents were told by Mrs. Agreste about what happened, and did their best to cheer me up. Their efforts to no avail, they called Mrs. Couffaine, and soon enough, Luka was over with his guitar. He was now eleven, while I was only nine.

He didn't say anything when he came up to  my room, only looking at me before taking a seat on my floor, leaning on my bed where I sat, staring at my wall. 

His light strumming filled my ears, and my eyes fluttered closed, spilling my tears. I did't cry out loud, as I had accepted what happened. I only hoped that Adrien would still regain who  _he_ is and rebel against his father to  _escape_ , to be  _free_. 

To be  _himself_.

I leaned back onto my bed, and eventually, fell asleep to the calming strings of Luka's guitar.

-

It was a revelation when I thought about what Gabriel did for a living, and I felt so utterly  _stupid_  for once in this life. The original Marinette was a  _designer_ , who absolutely  _looked up_ to Gabriel Agreste's works.

While I absolutely despise the man, and wanted nothing to do with him, but a good way to hit him where it hurts- is his  _pride_.

So, with a new found determination, I decided that,  _yes_ , I would pick up designing, but to also make it more enjoyable for myself, I would also start something I've had a passion for even in my previous life.

"Mom," I called out, and I had never seen my mother react so quickly. I suppose I can't blame her, after days of not speaking to either her or dad, I could understand why she reacted this way.

"Yes, Mari? What is it?" she asked eagerly.

"I want to be in an art class," I stated bluntly, "and I want to learn how to sew as well."

"Sure! Of course honey!" 

Wow, what did I do to deserve such a wonderful mother? 

-

"Nathaniel?" I called out, and the red-headed boy turned at the sound of his name, and seemed to straighten up after seeing me, no longer slouching in his seat.

"Marinette!" he greeted shyly, "Are you taking the art class, too?"

I nod, "I like art a lot, I hope to improve my skills. I'm glad you're here, you have a natural talent for this."

"Wh-what? No! I-I want to i-im-prove...too..."

"Do you know what improve means?" I asked, teasingly. 

"U-uh..." he flushed, "t-to get better...right?"

My eyebrows shot up slightly, before smiling at him, "Yeah, good job. Not many kids our age would know that."

"T-thanks..." his eyes suddenly caught someone behind me, and I turned, "That's Miss Aime, right? You go to her room a lot," my face scrunched up, and I turned away when I saw her look towards my direction.

I had completely forgotten to visit her this month, and I knew she was none too happy that I was essentially avoiding her.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng,"I flinched, spinning back around to meet the un-amused Ms. Aime. "A word,  _outside_."

I pursed my lips, "Save my seat," I muttered to Nathaniel before following the older woman outside. The door closed behind us but we still walked a bit further away, and then, we were alone and no one in the vicinity. "What do you need?"

"Why haven't you been attending my classes?" she shot, immediately, hurt evident in her tone.

I crossed my arms, "I realized I wasn't entirely required to attending every single day. I've had some revelations that need my time and effort. Like the art class you just pulled me out of minutes before it starts."

My answer doesn't seem to satisfy her, "That isn't the only reason. The classes only started today, and you've been skipping for a month now. Is it something I did?"

And suddenly, all those emotions and feelings I had all these years, flood out, because this woman- this  _person_ \- who had helped me all these years, who made me act my real mental age, who made me experience first  _first love_ -

But that's exactly why I had distanced myself.

I eyed the ring on her left hand, before meeting her eyes.

"Because I couldn't handle the heart break."

She reeled back, not expecting my answer, "...W-what?"

"I've had this ridiculous, unfathomable, utterly useless crush on you since I was four," I spat, "it was harmless at first, a child crushing on an adult isn't unheard of. But I am mentally  _mature_ , I don't think the same as other kids," I explained, "and all these years, my feelings had grown and I thought we had actually gotten close. You know so much about me, almost every nook and cranny has been visited by the likes of you- and until I saw that ring on your finger, I suddenly realized I know  _absolutely nothing_  about you.

"Add the fact that my best friend no longer remembers who I am, and I'm no longer allowed to be withing a wide radius of him, which is already enough for my emotional state. But to have my heart broken at the tender age of nine is not something I would have wanted, even if I already knew it was impossible from the start. So, yes, I'm no longer visiting you- because I've realized how  _unfair_  you have been to me; and I'm dealing with that."

All was silent, and I sucking in a breath, only now noticing that I had rambled that out without breathing. Closing my eyes, I calmed myself down.

"I-I...Marinette...I'm-I never meant to..." as I thought, she was at a loss for words. 

"Don't apologize," I turned heel and started walking back to my class, which had already started by now, for sure. "I don't need pity from you."

And just like that, I shut my first love, and first heart break, out of my life.


	20. 020

"What are you listening to?" Was the first thing Luka asked as he walked in my room, where  _Africa_  by Toto was blasting as I painted. He listened, bobbing his head as he fingers went through the motions of each note as if he were holding his guitar. "It's got really nice progression."

" _Africa_  by Toto," I answered, "they're a rock band from America."

"And you can understand them?" he raised an eyebrow, and I smiled at him, but didn't answer.

Luka had grown used to me knowing things, things other people didn't, and having a wide range of knowledge about complicated things. Now and then he'd ask questions, some I answered, some I didn't, and this was one of those where I like to keep him on his toes.

He shook his head, but was smiling back either way.

He sat next to me, watching me paint, a scene from a music video from my past life. Which was something I noticed, almost everything was exactly the same, though a little more advanced, but I never expected shows, music, bands, and alike to still be here, thought I was a little relieved to have  _something_  that was familiar to  _me_.

"Have you heard Jagged Stone?" I turned curiously to Luka, pausing my brush strokes, "He's a rock artist, he's making it pretty big, and his music is  _amazing_."

"I haven't heard you so enthused about an artist in a while," I smiled, and turned back to my painting, it was hard to paint clouds  _just_  how you wanted them.

"He's inspiring," he whispered, and went quiet, listening to the song, as it was at the end, "those are some wicked harmonies."

"I  _know,_ " I groaned, before singing along, " _It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you;  there's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do!_ " 

"So you  _do_  know what they're saying," he commented dryly.

I snickered, "Did you expect any less?"

"I can never know  _what_  to expect from you, Marinette."

-

"Mari," I turned to my father, who called for me, he looked a little off-put, "are there any  _boys_  that you like?"

"Not in the way that you're afraid of," I rolled my eyes, "I have friends and acquaintances that happen to be male, but that's about it." He let out a sigh of relief.

"Good," he nodded, "Mari, you're always going to be my baby girl, no matter how smart or mature you've always been, and I couldn't be more proud, but you're my only child, my only  _girl._ I'm your father, it's my job to be afraid of you being swept away."

I shook my head at his antics, seeing him slouch and rest his head on the table.

"I made a promise to marry Adrien," I admitted, and his head shot up, looking terrified and I heard pots clatter in the kitchen before my mother came scurrying in, frantic with glee. 

"You did?!"

"You  _what_?!"

"It was right before his accident," I looked down at my hands, "but I told him I would marry him if he proposed with a seventeen carat ring."

My mother laughed while my father guffawed at my qualifications.

"If he ever remembers, what will you do?" mom asked, petting my hair, which was out of it's usual bun I kept it in. 

I thought about it, having not taken those chances into consideration. I had simply accepted the fact that Adrien could no longer remember me, and since I was unable to see him or come within a certain radius of him without risking a restraining order or however that works in France, I figured he wouldn't remember who I was or the memories we made.

I had simply assumed that he would never remember, as recalling memories after an accident can be a painful experience for some, and Adrien being in pain...is something I don't want.

But if all goes according to the original plot, then Adrien should enroll in the same high school as mine.

Or at least, I'm hoping he still does.

"I..." I breathed shakily, "if he remembers, and that's a big  _if_ ," I gave them a warning look, as I know they were still in contact with Emilie, who has asked to speak to me over the phone, but I refuse to talk with her, "I'll only marry him if he remembers all of his promises, gets me a seventeen carat ring, and..." I pursed my lips, looking away, embarrassed, " _...and if he makes me fall in love with him_." 

"Those are some high standards, Mari."

"Of course they are," I scoffed, flicking a stray hair away from my face, "if you think I'm gonna make it easy for him, let alone anyone, you've got another thing coming."  _Not after Madame Aime._

"I agree with this attitude," dad nodded, crossing his arms. "There's no one in the world who deserves my baby girl."

" _Dad_." 

"What?!"

"Get out of my house."

"Oka-  _Mari_ , this is  _my_  house, why are you kicking me out of it?!"

-

Mom and dad set me up.

They are in so much trouble once I get back home.

I looked up to Emilie, who smiled at me, with a knowing look, and I turned my gaze away to the table, glaring at it because I couldn't do so to her. Not without feeling guilty.

She hasn't done anything to me, but seeing her reminds me of Adrien.

"What is it you want, Mrs. Agreste?" I eventually broke our mutual silence, and I know she was waiting for me to speak first.

"Mari, you've always been a very smart girl," she started, "which is why I want to entrust you with something."

"Me?" I parroted, "Why not your  _darling_  husband, who is supposed to support you in sickness and in health, or whatever. He should be more trustworthy than a nine year old, bad influence such as myself."

"Marinette, I apologize on behalf of what Grabriel has said, he didn't mea-"

"He meant it." I interrupted her, not caring for formalities, and I crossed my legs, sitting up straight as I met her eyes once again. "I won't accept your apology, because I don't want to hear it from  _you_."

At this, she just stared at me, and I was confused. It wasn't one of her usual looks, where she sent so much adoration, or understanding to something with a simple smile, or crinkle of her eyes-

She was assessing me.

Figure me out.

It was nerve wracking because I'd never received this look from her. Accustomed to her warm smiles and loving gestures.

"Marinette," she began, slowly, "I...I...won't always be around." 

I looked at her through under my lashes, batting them at her. 

"I know, circle of life, and all that bullshit Disney sugar coats." Her eyes widened at my language, and I leaned my cheek on my palm, "I think you've underestimated how  _far_  my knowledge stretches, Mrs. Agreste. Please, I know I am physically a child, but don't treat me like one."

She nodded, hesitantly, "In a few years, I'll have to go away." I tensed.

No.

_No._

She couldn't...she couldn't be talking about...

"I...I  _need_  you to take care of Adrien for me,  _please_."

.

.

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" _No_."


	21. 021

"No?"

"No."

"...you won't even consider it?"

"I said what I meant, and I meant what I said."

Silence.

All she did was stare, then looked down at the table.

Silence.

"Can I make you a deal?"

I paused, holding myself back with my immediate no just waiting to come out again. But this woman, a second mother to me for many years, and seeing her hurt because Adrien took so much after her.

When I see her, I see Adrien.

And if there's anything I'm weak for, it's Adrien.

I sighed, "I'm listening."

-

Marinette was a simple person, with simple needs. 

Sure, she couldn't eat chocolate without nearly dying from her throat closing on her, but that's not the point.

Marinette was, and is, a simple person.

With simple needs.

"What do you mean you won't let me buy this album?" she hissed at the clerk, who looked nervous.

"Yes, as it's the last album, we just got a call to put it on hold for Mayor Bourgeois' daughter."

"Call him back and tell him that the last copy already sold."

"But, miss-"

"Look," she spat, "I've been standing in line with this album for ten minutes and witness the phone call, which you received two minutes and twenty seven seconds ago, so, by all fair means, it was mine before he called."

"Miss, it's the mayor's daughter-"

"Ring him up, I'll talk to him."

"W-what?"

"Call. Him. Now."

She tapped her foot as he clumsily called the mayor, ignoring the people around the store watching the scene.

"H-hello, Mayor Bourgeois, there is a little girl who won't let go of the last album- yes, sir, she wanted to call you- yes, of course-" he shot his arm out to her, holding the phone. She rolled her eyes and took the phone, hearing a little girl screaming in the background, cringing.

Chloe.

"Hello, Mister Bourgeois, this is Marinette Dupain-Cheng, I'm sorry to have to talk to you in such circumstances."

"Oh, little Marinette! I haven't seen you in so long!" he seemed pretty chipper, considering his daughter was screeching at him for the album that she was not willing to let go of. Now especially because Chloe wants it. "So you're the one who has the last album? Is there any way I can persuade you?"

Marinette could hear the doubt in his voice, but she give him credit for trying.

"As much I'd love to let you have it, I grabbed it twenty minutes ago, and have been waiting in line for ten before you called. So, no. You can't persuade me," she leaned on the counter. 

He hummed, and Marinette waited patiently until he finally let out a sigh, "If you were any other child, it would have been so much easier."

"Unfortunately for you, I'm not any other child. Sorry, Mister Bourgeios. It was good talking with you again, come by the bakery some time, I'll make sure you get some free pastries."

"I might just take you up on that. Take care, little miss."

"You as well," hanging up and handing the phone back to the employee who was watching her with wide eyes of incredulity. "Family friend. Ring me up now, please."

Marinette is a simple person, with simple needs.

But she's also petty.

-

When I turned ten, I met the loves of my (past) life, once again.

"They exist here, holy shit," I whispered, watching with wide eyes as they music video played before me. "K-Pop gods have blessed me this time around, thank fuck."

I ripped my earbuds out and ran down stairs, "MOM."

She and dad jumped, as I never really shout for them, and I suppose it's something that they aren't used to.

"Marinette? Are you okay? Do we need to call an ambulance?" Dad asked, and I shook my head, looking up to them expectantly.

"Can I join a dance class?"

They pause.

"You..." mom tilted her head, "...you're willingly offering to do something that requires physical movements and sweat?"

"Mari, you hate exercise." Dad was looking at me as if I wasn't his daughter.

"Okay, wow, I'm offended," I scoffed at them, "I just watched this Korean boy band's music video and I really want to learn how to dance because of them. Please."

Mom turned to dad, "It may be the only time she offers to do something that requires anything physical."

"I'll go sign her up. Ballet?"

"Ew, no," I cringe, "Hip hop or contemporary, nothing else."

Just like that, I screwed myself over in the span of forty minutes all because of a dream I had in my previous life.

As a very sick person, I was always very weak, and though I was negative about eighty percent of the time, there was a part of me that was happy because of K-Pop. It's what made me want to hold on a little longer- as long as I was able to.

It had been a silly dream, to be able to dance like they do. To feel the satisfaction of finishing a grueling choreography. To go through the torture those groups have to, to do their best for their fans.

But still, I totally screwed myself over.

-

"Worst idea I've had yet," I panted, lying on my back in the practice room with a few kids that varied with age, who were also dying.

"Come on, kiddies, we aren't even close to finished!"

I pushed myself back up, my legs shaking slightly.

Well, if I'm going to be Ladybug in four years, I'm going to need the muscle, right?

I closed my eyes, wiping my sweat and tightening my pony tail, gathering myself.

Four more years.


	22. 022

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette and Chloe mutually understand each other.
> 
>  
> 
> (Nathaniel is a silent background character who listens.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spontaneous updates, but pretty frequent.  
> Depends on how dead I am after work.
> 
> Will usually attempt to update once or twice a week, but no promises. :)

The day Luka would leave for his three year long trip with his mother finally arrived, and Marinette wasn't showing how upset she really was, but Luka, who has been able to hear her heart for many years now, knew how she really felt.

She and her parents had come to bid them a safe trip, and she had immediately gone up to the deck where he leaned on the rail, looking out to the waters.

"Luka."

He turned to her, smiling at her usual stoic expression, but he knew.

"Marinette," he inclined his head as a greeting, and she came up next to him, leaning on the railing as well. He looked at her while she gazed at what he had been only moments ago.

It was times like now, where he saw the beauty of Marinette. She was a couple years younger than him, but had always,  _always_  been so much more mature. He thought  _he_  had been more grown up at his age until he met her.

But, the thing about Marinette was that she didn't see her beauty, inside nor out. He knew that in all due time, with years to pass, she would be  _stunning_ , and Luka didn't want to lie, but he didn't want Marinette to be betrothed to another. 

Marinette understands him, and he understands her  _the most_. 

It was a cruel reality when Adrien lost his memories, and he had seen how heartbroken she had become- but it was then that Luka realized that Marinette had grown feelings for Adrien but had not  _realized them herself_. Most likely only seeing it as a sibling-like affection.

Seeing her so broken up had hurt him as well.

"I won't see you after today," Marinette's voice snapped him out of his thoughts, and she bumped his shoulder with hers. "Don't become a asshole while you're out there, seeing the world."

His eyes flickered over to their parents who were too far to hear what she had just said, and refrained a sigh of relief. The first time he had hear Marinette swear had been a total shock, as she had suddenly flushed with anger at some random stranger who had been making awful comments to a woman.

Once out of secluded area, she had let the words tumble out of her mouth as if she were a sailor in a past life.

Though, now, it was a regular occurrence.

"That's right." He noted that she had her hair down today. "I like it when you have your hair down."

"Oh, thanks. My hair tie snapped on the way here, really," she grumbled, running her fingers through her midnight hair that stopped right below her shoulder blades. Then she looked at him, and his eyes met those piercing bluebell hues. "...Luka?"

He brought a hand up to thread his own fingers through her hair, "Yes?"

"You've been looking at me for fifteen minutes, are you okay?"

No, he wasn't okay. Because he was thirteen and Marinette was eleven, and feelings like this were impossible to have at an age so young. 

A small teasing smile played on his lips, "Just thinking that I'm going to miss you."

Marinette flushed, remembering her words from when he had told her the news. She weakly punched his arm with a huff, and shook her head.

"Stupid."

Maybe...

"Marinette?" He pushed off the rail, and faced her, and she did the same, though with a questioning gaze. "In three years time, when I return, I want to tell you something."

Her head tilted, and he watched and her bangs ruffled with the movement, "Why don't you just tell me now?"

He leaned down to her height, which was short compared to him, and rested his forehead on hers, a normal action between the two, but this one...

Was just so  _intense._

Marinette blinked, eyes wide.

"Because I want to be sure, and get to know the you three years from now, before I tell you."

Her breath fanned out, tickling, almost non-existent from how small it was and she whispered, "Okay."

Luka set off with his mother, waving at the Dupain-Cheng family, along with his little sister and father.

Three years time, he would be older, and hopefully more on her level. 

Maybe then, she might accept him.

-

"So,  _Marinette_ ," glaring at the blonde who was disturbing her and Nathaniel's quiet drawing time. She had somehow figured out where she was, which was the art room, and decided to pay a  _friendly visit._  "I haven't heard about you from  _Adrikins_ ," she pressed, sounding smug, "did he finally choose me over you?"

"You just admitted that he has always chosen me over you," she responded nonchalantly, Chloe's face contorted into embarrassment. "I'm sure even you've figured something is wrong, he probably doesn't remember who you are, right? If they didn't tell you what happened, I'm sure they don't want anyone finding out. "

She paused, and looked over at Chloe, a glint in her eyes, seeing her flinch at her words.

That's  _right_ , Gabriel wouldn't want it getting out that he-  _the Great Gabriel Agreste_ ™- had let his some get injured in his own home,  _while_  he was there, on his watch,  _and_  receive extensive damage to his head enough to cause memory loss. He's never kept his son hidden from the public eye, but to have him disappear completely...it was bound to rouse questions.

Leaning her cheek on her hand, she smirked.

" _Do you_  want know what happened?"

Chloe sneered, chin up, said nothing, but waiting expectantly.

Surely, if she told Chloe, she would tell her parents, and while Mr. Bourgeois isn't a gossip, his  _wife_  sure as hell is. 

"Miss Bourgeois," Marinette tutted, "I need a  _verbal_  answer."

"Just  _tell me!_ "

"Adrien fell down the stairs at home," she turned back to her art, readying her paint brush, seemingly disinterested with the conversation, "hit his head, lost his memory. Gabriel doesn't let me see him, so he doesn't know who I am anymore."

Chloe frowned, looking down at her feet, "...I'm sorry."

Marinette froze, jerking in shock before pulling her brush away from the paper and looking at Chloe, bewildered. 

"I don't like him not remembering," she admitted, "he's learning me again, but," she bit her lip, "it hurts. I would...I would  _hate_  if I couldn't see him."

Marinette sighs, and Nathaniel looks up from his art, having been trying to not bud in to the conversation that he had business in, and gave her a worried look.

"It's not the best, no," she told Chloe, meeting her eyes, "I miss him." Looking down at her painting, all that was left to paint was the green eyes of the black cat with a golden bell sprawled across some books on a shelf. 

She whispered, "More than I'd like to admit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the most recent chapter, and I've caught up with posting all chapters I already had out on wattpad!


	23. 023

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette picks a fight.
> 
> But only because no one messes with her cute tomato head.
> 
> (She also gains another friend.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at that, three days later, and I've already written another chapter.
> 
> I'm gonna overwork myself, goodness...

The summer I was twelve, I met a girl with pink hair, blue eyes, and the most boy-ish sense of style, that if I wasn't who I was or with my observational skills, I'd immediately mistake her for a boy.

"Who are you," she asked with snide, sitting down in the seat next to Nathaniel while we were at lunch, "are you the chick always stealing my silent buddy?"

"I suppose I am," I drawled, sending a questioning look to Nathaniel who mouthed an  _'I'm sorry.'_

"Better be treating him well," she frowned, "Nathaniel doesn't need another person shoving him down."

While I had know that people picked on Nathaniel in the future, it was news to me that they were doing it so early in time. I zeroed in on him as he shrunk in his chair, now avoiding my gaze.

"Nathaniel," I called, voice calm and collected, "are you being  _bullied_  by someone?"

"You don't know?! Hah! Some friend you must be."

I glared at the girl, who I slightly recalled, but name escaped my memory, as it has been with other things.

"I wasn't fucking talk to you, was I?" Her mouth dropped and eyes widened as I turned back to Nathaniel who really looked like he didn't want to exist at the moment. "Nathaniel,  _who_  is picking on you?"

He was quiet, didn't seem to want to say anything.

But as he looked up, and looked into my eyes, he seemed to find something. What it was, I might never know, but he sighed, twiddling his fingers.

"Le Chien Kim."

Nodding, I stood from my chair, and began heading out the classroom.

"Hey! Where are you going?"

I glanced over my shoulder, pausing at the door, scowling.

"To find the  _mutt_ who thinks it's okay to pick on  _my_  friends."

As I walked out and made my way past the students crowding the halls, I heard two pairs of sneakers hurry after me.

-

Finding Kim wasn't all too hard, all I had to do was ask people, who seemed shocked to see me even walking up to them. 

I didn't exactly hang out with their crowds. If anything, I avoided them.

Though, as soon as the name  _Le Chien Kim_  would leave my lips, their faces twisted as if they'd eaten a lemon, and pointed the way.

By the time I found him, in the courtyard, word had apparently gotten around that  _Marinette Dupain-Cheng is looking for Le Chien Kim_.

"So the Silent Queen makes is looking for me, huh?" the punk grins at me, looking me up and down. "I can do better, but I wouldn't mind dating you, it'll raise my rep. I accept!"

I sneered at him, for the nickname that I'd never even heard before, but also because he thought that I  _like him_ , "What makes you think that  _I'm_  confessing to  _you, mutt?_ " Hearing gasps around me, it only just occurred that people were watching.

His smile dropped, and a small satisfaction came over me, but I wasn't done.

Not yet.

"Who are you calling a mutt, you-" he seemed to hesitate, "-you  _bitch._ "

Bigger gasps were released, and I raised an eyebrow.

Now  _this_  is a first.

Though I suppose with everyone getting older, I was bound to run into someone with point-zero-five of my swearing dictionary.

Rolling my eyes, I crossed my arms, "Wow, I'm  _so_  offended." Standing my ground, I narrowed my eyes at him, "Listen here,  _asshole_ ," his eyes widened, "I don't know who the hell you think you are to pick on others, but if you keep doing it, and to  _my friend_ , we're going to have serious issues."

He looked confused, though mostly angry at how I was talking to him, but them glanced behind me and his anger seem to increase.

" _Nathaniel_ ," he hissed, and bounded towards him, shoving me.

Oh,  _that's it._

Reaching out, grabbing his arm, and yanking him back to where he was standing in front of me, I pushed his shoulder.

"What did I just tell you?" I snapped, shoving him again, ignoring the aghast looks around us. "What gives  _you_  the right to push others down to make yourself better, huh? This isn't a food chain, there's no  _top-dog_  here, even if you are a  _mutt_."

"Stop calling me that!" he snarled, shoving me back and I scoffed.

"Then stop acting like one,  _mutt_."

What I didn't expect, was to find my myself on the ground after a growl and fist flying towards my face.

I held my cheek, my ears ringing, processing.

I chuckled, and simply got back up, seeing him stare at his fist with wide eyes, realizing what he had just done.

I saw some girls covering their mouths, and boys shaking their heads, but what disappointed me the most was that  _no one did anything to stop him or to help me_.

Stalking up to him, I stood right in front of him.

"It's not a nice feeling isn't it?" I asked him, and he didn't say anything as I looked up at him. "You don't want to be a mutt?" He twitched. "Then learn some  _respect_. For others, and for  _yourself_." I poked his chest with my index finger, and sneered on last time.

"Being a dick isn't going to make yours any bigger,  _Le Chien Kim._ "

Turning heel, I walked away from him, and to Nathaniel and his friend who I still hadn't really been introduced to. Hooking my arms with theirs, I lead them away from the silent courtyard."

-

"Alix."

I looked at the hand held out to me, before looking up at her.

After the whole ordeal, and the news spreading like a wildfire around the school, Nathaniel insisted I go to the nurse who seemed shocked to see me there for an injury rather than asking to sleep as I usually did.

After a brief made up story of not paying attention to where I was going, tripping, and hitting my face on a desk, she frantically helped before stepping out after the principal called her.

Taking her hand, finally remembering her, "Marinette."

"What you did was pretty rad, but," she frowned, "if teachers find out about what you  _said-"_

"They won't," Nathaniel intervened, "the students seemed to be keeping it pretty down-low between themselves. I heard them talking but then a teacher passed and they stopped."

"But I'm saying  _if_ ," Alix huffed, crossing her arms, "just want to lose a friend before I get to know them."

I scoffed, "What makes you think I want to be your friend?"

She grinned, "It's either you accept me or I force my love and affection like I did with this one here!" She laughed, hooking her arm around Nathaniel's neck. Normally he shies away from touch, but I noticed him lean into her hold, despite the annoyance on his face.

He was comfortable with her.

I sighed, leaning back in my chair, "If Nathaniel likes you then I'm okay with... _expanding_  my friend pool."

Both her and Nathaniel laugh, and I smile lightly as Alix grinned at me.

"You're pretty alright, Marinette!"

"You're not too bad, either, Alix."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I typed this up in an hour and I'm proud of myself? It usually takes me a couple days to write out a chapter because I get stuck.  
> But this time, I started typing and I just couldn't stop, and I didn't even know what or how to start the chapter with, and then I did what I did, and I'm like- wow. This turned out pretty great.


	24. 024

After the incident with Kim, Marinette had a whole new reputation, not just the silent-pretty-girl with the resting bitch face, and was widely spread to not mess with unless you wanted to get a royal beat down with just words alone.

Even after all that happened, there were some tough guys who thought that Kim was just weak to be brought down by a girl and went looking for her, only to receive the same fate, some a little more violent when catching her in a bad mood.

She didn't even try that hard, they made it so easy.

Then Kim finally walked up to her, weeks later, like she expected him to, eventually.

"I'm sorry," he told her, up front. Marinette's expression had turned sly, as she leaned back in her chair, arms crossed.

"Do tell," she started, people looking over at them, "what you're apologizing for." Kim seemed to have seen this coming, as he didn't seem deterred.

"For being a jerk," he frowned, looking at Nathaniel who was next to her, watching him carefully, "and a bully. It's...it's not a nice feeling, being on the receiving end."

She nodded, accepting the answer, "No one likes a bully. I know you're not going to change overnight," she goes back to her drawing, "but work on your people skills, dude."

Kim left with a blooming crush on one of the most stoic people in Paris.

But she was right, you can't change overnight.

 

-

 

Kim became a new constant, trying to show Marinette he was trying to improve, but old habits die hard. He still struggled, but he was slowly being accepted, which was the most difficult.

Why would anyone trust a bully?

But he worked hard, Marinette could see that, but she had just expanded her friend group by one already, and she didn't really want another so soon, let alone one who had a crush on her. Oh, she noticed. He wasn't very subtle, and it disturbed her how forward he was.

So, Marinette did her best to avoid him.

This was just how things were going, and she just accepted it. This was her normal.

But, of course, something just had to happen.

"What are you wearing?" the woman spat, her long hair in waves down her back, styled elegantly. She was in a stylish outfit, and sunglasses pushed  in her hair. Her blue eyes and sneer reminded me of someone. Plus, the way she speaks is just like- "The fabric is so cheap! And you think you can pull off that much black in one outfit?! And your hair looks like a rats' nest! Disgusting!"

"Yeah, you're not exactly looking fantastic, either," she scoffed at her, looking her up and down, "you look like Valentine's Day and Mardi Gras threw up on you. At the same time."

The woman gasped, looking outright offended, and looked at Mr. Bourgeois who appeared behind her, looking apologetic. 

"Andre, did you hear what she just said to me?!"

"Sorry, honey, Marinette is like that to everyone, and you insulted her," he rubbed the back of his neck. I felt sorry for putting him in the situation, but he was right. "Marinette, this is my wife, Audrey Bourgeois."

"Oh," Marinette looked at her once again, seemingly not impressed, "that explains a lot." She turned back to her book, which was now on the Korean language, because why not? "I would say it's a pleasure, but, it really isn't. Parents go over there, where the chairs are," she waved them over lazily to the side of the classroom.

Today was a day parents got to see what their kids got to do during school, an idea presented by, to Marinette's dismay, Madame Aime. The event was quickly spread around and soon enough, flyers were sent home and then it was the day.

Tom and Sabine sat in their chairs, giddy to see Marinette's performance and what she does at school. Audrey stomped over, and sat down in the chair next to Sabine, who jumped at the angry woman. Andre followed after and sat next to his wife, already exhausted.

"How dare she wave me off!" the woman huffed, crossing her arms, glaring at Marinette, who flipped a page of her book. "There's nothing good about her! Chloe is much better than her."

"Now, Audrey..." Andre tried, and suddenly Sabine was leaning over and smiling at him.

"Mr. Bourgeois! I thought you wouldn't be able to make it from how busy you are, I'm glad you made time!" she greeted warmly, looking at the woman next to him curiously. 

"Oh, Sabine, how nice to see you. Yes, yes, I'll always do my best to make time for Chloe, she's my precious daughter, after all."

"I know how that is," Tom sighed dreamily, watching as Marinette glanced over to them, and he waved excitedly. She rolled her eyes, but he saw the small smile on her lips.

"Ah, Tom, Sabine, this is my wife Audrey! I believe this is the first time you'll be meeting her."

"Oh!" Sabine brought a hand to her mouth, smiling, "I figured she was, Chloe looks very much like you, Mrs. Bourgeois. Just as beautiful."

Despite hearing compliments all the time, being quite famous, Audrey flustered slightly from the genuine compliment. The way Sabine said it was full of warmth, one that only another mother would understand.

But instead of thanking her, she looked away bashfully, not letting the woman- Sabine- know that she let it get to her, and instead, gloated, "Of course she is, she's my daughter, after all!" 

Sabine only laughed, nodding in agreement. 

It was quiet, and class was going to start in a few minutes.

Audrey looked at Sabine from the corner of her eye, watching her lean on her husband, hugging his arm as they watched their child. She grew curious. 

"Which one is yours?" She wasn't curious, nor did she care. She just wanted to know who the child of this...nicer, woman was.

Sabine nodded her head towards the area she had been at previously, "Over there, the girl with midnight hair and bluebell eyes," Audrey twitched, looking at Marinette in disbelief. "I think I saw you meet her, briefly. Marinette, my daughter," she shook her head, "she's really a nice girl, I promise you, but she's not one to beat around the bush."

"She's rude," Audrey huffed, "insulted me."

Sabine turned to her, smile in place, but this time it was off, as she tilted her head. It was a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, "Marinette only insults someone once they've insulted her or someone she cares about," she drawled and Tom shifted, giving her hand a small squeeze. "She doesn't start fights unless she has a reason to. She won't care who you are, status doesn't matter to her. To her, you're just another person." 

Audrey clamped her mouth shut, and Sabine faced forward again as the teacher came in and announced that classes were to begin.

She pursed her lips, and crossed her legs as well, eyes shifting to Marinette, who put her book away and sat with her pencil and notebook out. Looking rather bored as she waited.

What was so special about this Marinette anyways?

She's just a _child._


	25. 025

As it turned out, there was so much more to Marinette than meets the eye. The teacher was equal about calling on names to answer questions.

But, other parent's noticed, that she would always hesitate when calling on Marinette. Tom and Sabine especially noticed the teacher's pause before deciding to pick their daughter to answer. 

She was always correct.

Which, they figured, wasn't difficult for their little Marinette, she has always been oh-so-smart. She didn't really come to them about her homework, and always brought back beautiful report cards. It was just another thing they didn't have to stress about, thinking about her future. But they long since decided that Marinette could be whatever she wanted to when she grew up.

It was now their lunch break- which was essentially a banquet from all the food all the parents brought to share with everyone. Marinette eyed everything with bright eyes, and happily tried everything that was offered on the table (excluding anything that had contained chocolate, much to her dismay).

"Marinette!" she turned to see her parents sitting with the Bourgeois', and walked over with her plate (filled with many foods) and sat down in between her parents. She looked at Chloe for a moment, who frowned at her, and bobbed her head in greeting before tucking into her food. "So, Mrs. Bourgeois, this is Marinette. She's twelve, but her birthday is coming up!"

"It's not a big deal, mom," Marinette rolled her eyes, "if anything, I'd rather not think about it. Birthdays are simply yearly reminders that children came out of their mothers-"

"Marinette, please," Tom brought a hand to cover is ears, "I don't want to hear that from my baby."

"Speaking of babies, we learned how they were made in class last week, well, the others did, but I already knew about it-"

"Is she always like this?" Audrey stared at Marinette in distaste, but oddly enough, more impressed than anything. 

"Has been since she was born," Sabine sighed, "she's always been very independent."

"Unfortunately, I still have to depend on them for a few more years," Marinette piped up, swallowing her food, looking up at Audrey through her eyelashes, "since they take care of me, make me food, and pay my medical bills, not to mention the addition of how much they're going to have to spend on my feminine care-" she frowned, "which I'm still dreading, as much as I can take care of myself, I would be lost without my parental unit."

There was a small pause, as the Bourgeois' staring at Marinette who starting digging into her food once again.

Chloe stopped eating to throw her a look, "Femim- what?"

"Remember when they showed us about the uterus, periods, and sperm? Feminine care is what females need during their monthly menstrual cycle." 

Chloe gave a blank stare, "I shouldn't have asked."

Sabine and Tom laughed, used to situations like this. But it was nice to see Marinette interacting more; since Luka left, she hasn't been as active. She spend her days painting, reading, or just staring out the window. Lost in her own thoughts.

Thoughts they could only ever hope to understand.

"Ah, Mari, don't eat that!" Tom snatched a muffin from her, receiving a look of betrayal from her. "Mari, I ate one of these before you got to the table, it has chocolate in the middle."

"Oh," she frowned, "thanks, papa."

"You're not allowed to have chocolate?" Chloe cackled, "Sucks for you!"

"Chloe," Andre reprimanded, but with his wife and Chloe, he didn't have much of a chance.

"Ah, Marinette's allergic, you see," Sabine smiled sadly, "it's very severe. She's required to carry an epipen on her and the nurse has minimal supply."

"Oh, goodness, I had no idea, Sabine," Tom frowned, "Did Emilie know?"

Audrey rose a curious brow, how did these...mid-class residents know Gabriel and Emilie Agreste?

Marinette sent an empty smile at Andre, "She still has some, I think. We all found out I was allergic after Adrien fed me chocolate." Andre winced, remembering the current status of Adrien's predicament with memory loss, and began to apologize, but Marinette stopped him. "You have nothing to apologize for, Mr. Bourgeois, all you did was ask a question."

"An insensitive one."

She tilted her head, the same, empty smile held some amusement, leaning her chin on her palm.

"Now, really, Mr. Bourgeois, do I seem like a sensitive person to you?"

 

-

 

Tom and Sabine got to meet Nathaniel and Alix during Marinette's Art class, who rushed over to introduce her to their parent's. They were very surprised to see how easily Alix dragged Marinette around without her getting upset about being touch and manhandled. 

Marinette politely greeted their parents, who were intrigued from the stories their kids tell them of the super-smart-blank-slate friend that they seemed to have gained- or had, in Nathaniel's case. After his parents had moved him to a different daycare (the original had prices and fees that they could honestly save money on). But in that move, he seemed to have found the nice-quiet girl that he had met at his old daycare- though he didn't quite know her enough, as soon as she saw him, she sat with him as usual.

As if nothing was different.

"We have nothing to worry about, do we?" Sabine sighed at her husband's question, "Or at least, not until boys start asking for her hand- then we'll have something to worry about."

"Now, honey, I think we both know that Marinette already promised herself to a certain someone," Sabine teased, who nearly wailed at the thought. "Though with how things are now," she shook her head, "it might not even happen. Though, I am curious as to what will happen once Luka comes back with his mother."

"Ah, yes, the great rivalry between the prince and a knight, yes?" Tom joked, but looked over at his precious, little Marinette who shared her thoughts on Nathaniel's art and rapidly growing skills to his parents who listened with small smiles of appreciation and relief. "Both after my little princess."

"I don't know who the prince and knight are-" a voice piped up, making them jump and looking down at Marinette's friend, Alix, who grinned up at them, "-but Marinette's real popular, ya know? She just doesn't know it!" She turned to look at her friends, "There isn't a boy in the school who hasn't had a crush on Marinette! Nathaniel has the biggest one I've ever seen!" She whispered the last part to them, before laughing.

Tom buried his face in his hands to stop himself from screaming while Sabine laughed.

So, maybe there was a few things to worry about...


	26. 026

Phone against my ear, held with my shoulder and cheek, I multi-tasked with moving stuff around my room and setting up my desk-top computer leisurely.

I was thirteen, officially a teenager and out of the preteens, and my wonderful parents had gifted me a mobile smart phone (I had insisted I didn't need one until I was in high school) but I still had it sitting in it's packaging, instead, still using the house phone. 

"It would have been fine if I hadn't already told them I didn't want one," I grouched over the phone, setting the box I was carrying aside.

"Just accept the present, Marinette, it's just a phone," Luka chuckled over the phone, and I rolled my eyes, "I wouldn't be able to contact you without these, you know. Plus, we can keep in touch more, now, since you'll be able to text."

"That's true," I huffed, "makes it easier on you since you won't have to wait for me to get home and with the time differences- speaking of, are you not tired?"

"We traveled back for a bit, so the time zones aren't as far apart at the moment," I nodded, thought he couldn't see me. "You know, we can video message, now, too."

I paused my movements, blinking. 

I hadn't thought of that, honestly.

"You're right," I mumbled, "do...you want to?"

"Yeah," he breathed out, "I do."

"Okay, I'll set it up in a few minutes after I finish up what I'm doing right now."

"Take your time."

Setting my phone down on the desk, I turned on the speaker and continued to put together the computer, which wouldn't take too much longer. Hearing familiar strings over the phone, I smiled, humming along once I realized what song he was playing.

Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol.

Plugging in the screen, finally, I was finished with setting up the desk top and began movingthe empty boxes near the hatch door to remind myself to throw them out so they're not just sitting there forever. Pausing, I observed my room with a keen eye, seeing the development happening.

I stopped moving, looking out the window, hoping as usual that I could maybe, just maybe, see the Agreste home, or even see them pass by with Adrien. Just a glimpse.

"If I lay here," I sang softly as the song comes to an end, "If I just lay here...would you lie with me...and just forget the world?" With the way they strums stopped, I know he had heard me, as I was on speaker, and even with the whispered lyrics and the sound of his guitar, he must have heard. 

"I would," he answered, and Luka being Luka, he knew I wanted an answer, because it's what will ground me just a little bit more. 

"Yeah?" I probed, grabbing the a black box from my bed and walking over to my desk and sitting down and turning it on. While it was booting up, I opened the package of my new cellphone, "Would you show me a garden that's bursting into life?"

"For you, I would."

Feeling the heavy sentiment in his words, I smiled, leaning my cheek on my hand as I turned on the phone as well.

"Cheese ball."

"What can I say, music makes me a cheesy person."

His strumming starts up again, and I go through the steps on my computer and phone to set them up and finish ten minutes later, I pick up my cellphone and punch my parents' and Luka's numbers in carefully.

I never really had a cellphone before, in my past life, expenses going towards my medical bills, and we just didn't have a luxury life. So, this was a new experience that I wasn't looking forward to.

"Okay, I'm done, if you're ready," I clicked on his contact.

"Alright. I'll hang up so you start it."

"Gotcha..." I quinted at the screen and saw the little video camera, after hanging up on the house phone I tapped the icon and looked at the screen curiously when I saw myself in the a small rectangle at the top right corner of the screen.

Then Luka was on the entire screen and I flinched in surprise as my face was closer to the screen than I had thought.

He laughed, his usual amused one where he covers his mouth and eyes close into happy crescents.

I blinked at his appearance, I'm sure he had to have cut it, but it was a typical skater or scene kid hair cut, "You dyed your hair."

"Oh," he paused, taken aback, "yeah, I just did it today, actually."

I hummed, putting my chin on my palm, my index tapping my lip, "The red is nice, but I think teal would go with your eyes."

"I'll take that into mind," he nodded, and I held back a snicker. Luka's hair is teal in the show, and I actually really liked the color on him, seeing him with another is actually a little weird. "Speaking of hair, yours is a lot longer than I remember."

"How can you tell it's long? It's in a bun," I pulled on the elastic band, letting my hair tumble to my mid-back- it was nearly to my waist, but not quite there yet. "But you are correct."

He smiled, "You're bun grows in size from how much hair you have, it was easy to tell."

"Creep."

"I am not."

"But you are."

"Not."

"Are."

"Not."

"Are."

We paused before bursting into laughter, and not too much later, catching our breaths. 

"You better be getting me souvenirs from all the places your visiting."

"I am, don't worry. How are your parents?"

"They're my parents, how do you think they are?"

"Touche." He paused, "Marinette."

"Yes?"

"You should let your hair down more often."

I frowned, "That's the second time you've told me that."

He shrugged, "Your hair is very pretty."

I frowned,and grabbed some with my free hand, looking at it. I guess he was right? I got my mother's hair, though it was only a little darker, you can definitely tell I get it from her.

"Marinette, say cheese." 

Looking back at Luka, I simply put a peace sign over my eye and-

"Queso."


	27. 027 (please read note)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay let me explain real quick.
> 
> so i posted chapter 27 thinking that it was all good and didn't even double check to make sure that it was the correct chapter because i have all the chapters ready to be posted.
> 
> what i didn't know is that all of my chapters are fucking JUMBLED.
> 
> so, i accidentally posted, not chapter 27 or 28 first, but chapter 32.
> 
> i'm really upset because there's a lot of stuff that happens before that and i basically spoiled it without meaning to.
> 
> i just hope you guys can still enjoy this while i fix this mess. :(
> 
>  
> 
> please enjoy the real chapter 27.

 

 

Adrien was miserable.

His father was miserable.

_His mother disappeared._

It's been months now since it happened, but he wasn't over it. Neither him or his father were, and probably never would be.

He sighed, looking of his window, seeing the world outside of his home. The world he didn't get to freely explore, only ever out for photo shoots and fashion shows.

He remembers his mother telling him that he head fallen down the stairs, and anything before eight years old, he can't recall. Memories from before then were wiped away from a nasty fall, just like that.

He remembers a girl, though, from when he and his father had returned from the hospital, his father looked distraught that day, but also determined. He can't recall details, but he remembers Gorilla carrying away.

_Kicking._

_Screaming._

_Crying._

But that was as far as his head will let him remember. He barely even remembers what she looks like, just that she was there when he arrived back home- and then, she was gone. He never saw her again.

Focusing back outside to the bustling life of Paris, he craved to go outside.

He  _needed_  to go outside.

Checking the time, he noted that his father wouldn't be busy at this moment and decided to try his luck.

Exiting his room, he made his way to where his father would most likely be- looking at her painting. Going down stairs, carefully, he pushed open the door and peeked in.

"Father?" he called softly to the man who stood where he knew he would be. "May I...go to the park?"

"Adrien," his father called coldly, "you know I don't want you going out unless it's for shoots."

"I know," Adrien looked down at his feet, "but it's so...I need fresh air, please. I'm  _sufficating_." His father didn't respond for a moment, and Adrien just took it as a sign of  _it's out of the question, go back to your room_. Turning to go back to his bedroom, he had barely opened the door when his father spoke up.

"You can go for a short time, but you must take Gorilla with you and  _be careful_."

He looked back, shocked, but gave a small smile.

"Thank you, father."

-

He spread his arms and spun around, breathing the fresh air around him before sitting himself down on a bench, so  _happy to be out_ with the sun on his face and actual  _nature_  and people around him.

He hated being caged in his own home. He wanted freedom, he wanted to be like other people his age- go to school, have friends, actually have to  _take home_  homework!

His only friend was Chloe, the mayor's daughter. Chloe had always seemed a little  _too_  happy to be his only friend, but he never really questioned her. What  _was_  there to question? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Gorilla was off to the side, watching the area with a careful eye. Most people around were adults with their toddlers and infants, not many teenagers, which made his job easier, but didn't relax any less. It was the weekend after all.

Adrien had gotten up and started walking the path layout around the park, looking around him and playing with some kids who ran past or around him. 

Suddenly, there was stark, midnight blue hair flowing from a pony tail, coming from a girl who jogged past him with earbuds in her ears, and seemed to have been here for a while if the amount of sweat was any indicator.

His eyes trailed after her as she kept going, and decided to sit down and wait for her to come back around.

There was something about her that...

_(Kicking.)_

Just seemed...

_(Screaming.)_

For some reason...

_(Crying.)_

_'Familiar...'_ he thought, just as she was coming back around, slowing down to a walk to catch her breath, and was checking her phone. Putting it away she was nearing him and suddenly-

Their eyes met.

She kept walking, until she was in front of him, only her head turned to look at him.

This meeting didn't seem right.

"Can I help you with something?" she asked, not looking away from him. But there was something heavy in the way she looked at him, almost expecting.

"Oh, u-uh," he stuttered, flustering as he realized that he was probably being weird, maybe borderline  _creepy_ , "n-no, sorry..."

"It's fine," she brushed off, and turned to start walking away but hesitated, then turned to him again. Her blank face was almost unsettling, but oddly comforting. "Are you alone?"

"Ah," he glanced over to Gorilla who seemed to watching the entrances at the moment. "Yeah. I just...needed some air."

She raised a brow, "I see..." she purses her lips, thoughtful, "would you like some company?"

Adrien looked at the girl, she seemed his age. She could possibly a fan, but she definitely wasn't acting like one. If anything, she was treating as- an equal. Just another person.

He smiled, appreciatively, "I would like that." In a few strides, she was at the bench and sitting down with a relieved sigh, tired from her exercise. "I'm sorry if I was rude, staring at you like that, I was just kind of zoned out."

"You're fine, I wasn't really bothered. Just curious."

"About me staring?" he flushed, embarrassed, "I guess I was curious, too. Um...you jog regularly?"

"I do," she nodded, looking at the occupants of the park, "I dance, so it's important I stay somewhat in shape."

"Wow, really? I always liked the idea of dancing, but I only know formal ones..." she nodded, understanding. She didn't seem like much of a talker, but she seemed to be pushing herself for his sake, which flustered him further, "Dancing is...a nice way of expressing yourself."

"There's many ways of expressing yourself," she commented, "music, sports, hair, make-up, fashion- all are  _arts._  But there's so many ways to just  _express_ , but some people are are afraid to. Tell me, Adrien Agreste," he tensed, looking at her, but she wasn't looking at him, there was no hostility or motive that he could find; she was simply leaning back on the bench, looking ahead, hands in her pocket, relaxed. Then, she finally turned to him, bluebell eyes looking into his green ones, "how do  _you_  express yourself?"

"Me?" he echoed, thinking, "I..." How did he? He never really thought about it. He had many talents, but they were all learned over the years of private tutors and lessons that his father had chosen for him. Was there really any way that he  _truly_  expressed himself? Of his own volition?

"If you don't have an answer, it's okay," she stood up, looking over he saw that Gorilla was looking over at their direction, his eyes narrowed, but he didn't move from his spot. "If you need more time to find the answer, then you take your time. Eventually you will find your answer, and I hope, then, you will be happier than you are now."

"Wait!" he stood up as well, furrowing his brows, "What's your name?"

She stared at him, before an empty smile stretched itself onto her pretty face. Now that he was  _really_  looking at her. Hair clinging onto her skin, which was glistening with sweat, still, her eyes were big, had a small nose, and a small mouth- over all, she was very  _pretty_. But just looked so  _done_ , so  _tired_ , and it showed in the smile she gave him, that she was  _so, so sad_.

But why, he doesn't know. 

"Tell me, Adrien, what do  _you_  think my name is?"

Not receiving an answer, she turned away and began to jog once again, leaving Adrien alone with his thoughts, sitting back down on the bench, he watched her leave, escaping the park- 

_(Escaping the cruel reality.)_

Why would she think that he would know her name? Does he know her, or maybe met her before? Was it rude of him to not remember-

He paused.

_(Kicking.)_

Remember.

_(Screaming.)_

Maybe...

_(Cryingcryingcryingcrying._

_"You can't do this!" He watched Gorilla carry a screaming, crying, kicking girl away from him and his parents. He didn't know what was happening. His head hurts. He didn't understand. He was so confusedconfusedco **nfused** - _

_"_ _Gabriel Agreste! Let me see him!"_

_"You fucking bastard!"_

_"Karma will get you! Just you watch!_

_"It's not fair...it's not-"_

_The door closes._

_He never saw the girl again, and later, she became a distant,_ distant _, memory at the beginning of his new ones.)_

Maybe he  _does_ know her.


	28. 028

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE ACTUAL CHAPTER 28
> 
> (fixing order of chapters is driving me crazy. 29 is 35, 30 is 32, 31 is 38- send help i wanna cry)

After turning the corner, she made a mad dash for home, tears stinging her eyes, but definitely did not fall, and all the way home, she could only remember looking at him only brought back  _the pain._

The pain the tried so hard to fight back, because she had accepted that, just maybe, she had messed  _everything up_ , and would never get to see him again.

But she was just doing her bi-weekly jog (which was recommended by her dance instructor) to keep in shape., and the she was checking her phone for messages from Luka and then—

Then she was looking at Adrien Agreste, watching her with with curious eyes, a flush to his cheeks. Despite the shock, she kept walking until she was only a few feet away from where he was sitting, and took a chance.

He couldn't have been alone, and with the way his eyes glanced over to the side, her assumption was correct, and figured Gorilla was there. She had grown in the six years, and sure, she might not look the same, she doubts her features had changed  _that_ much.

Arriving home, she threw open the door to the bakery, greeting her parents quickly, who seemed surprised at her rushed welcome as she immediately went for the stairs to head to her room. Once in the comfort of solitude, she sat down on her bed, breathing heavily.

Did that really just happen?

_("Wait!" he stood from the bench, brows furrowing, "What's your name?"_

_She stared at him, and looking at him, now, she had been correct from many years ago, asking herself if he'd grow to be as beautiful as his mother. Adrien had definitely lost a lot of the baby-fat he once had, and while he took after both his parents, she could definitely see Emilie's features. This was always something that she expected, but not this way. It still hurts for him to not know._

_Not know who she is._

_Or the promises that they made._

_Wanting to just hold him, and tell him what happened all those years ago, about how Gabriel took her out of his life, about their childhood, about_ everything _\- instead, she just smiled._

 _"Tell me, Adrien, what do_ you _think my name is?"_

_She waited, and when his brows furrowed further and no answer came, she began to jog once again, leaving Adrien behind in the park.)_

All she had ever wanted was to see him, just once, to see how he was, if he was okay- and maybe it was too much. Marinette was not an emotional person, she was not sensitive, but maybe this was a wound that would never heal.

As it was not a physical wound, it was wound of the heart.

She grabbed her phone, tapping the screen a few times before putting it up to her ear, and waited.

 _"Hello_?"

"Luka," she whispered, "are you busy?"

-

He had been messing around the ship with his mother, with instruments, and just the little things around the deck. They liked to keep themselves busy, as to not get bored. Usually around this time, he would be in his room, or even on the deck on a nice day, playing his guitar. But his mother had gotten some items on their last stop that she needed help moving to the inside of the ship.

They had just begun to moved the last couple of boxes when his phone began to ring.

"Is it Marinette?" His mother asked, and he pulled out the device to check. Sure enough, her contact photo of her throwing up a 'V' over her eyes with the straightest face was on his screen with 'Marinette' at the top.

"Yeah, one sec, mom," he swiped the answer key and brought the phone to his ear, "hello?"

 _"Luka,"_ Marinette's voice was soft, out of breath,  _"are you busy_?"

"Not at this particular moment, no," Luka answered, looking up at his mom, who smiled and waved him off, understanding. They definitely moved a lot of the boxes and could take a break. He smiled and went to his bunker for more privacy and sat on his bed, back to the wall. "What's up?"

 _"I saw him_ , _"_  she said quickly, almost like she still couldn't believe it. Wanted to tell someone before she forgot, even though they both know she wouldn't,  _"He was at the park and- and we talked. I can't do it, Luka, I don't want to see him. It hurts."_

Luka furrowed his brows, the only person that she could possibly be talking about is... "Adrien," he breathed, "you saw Adrien."

_"I don't want to see him anymore. Never again. I can't."_

"But what if you can't avoid it, Mari?" he asked. "Things happen for reason. Gabriel could have taken him out of the country, but he didn't. Maybe this was just a fluke, but you know I don't believe in that. It's a sign."

_"If you're saying this is a sign that he's coming back into my life, then I don't want it."_

"That's not what you said six years ago."

 _"I had just lost my_ childhood friend _, Luka. Of course I wanted him back- but now, I've grown, I've accepted my life without him present in it. I don't want him in my life again."_

Luka was quiet for a moment, before sighing. "You can't keep running away, Mari." Running his fingers through his hair before tilting his head back, hitting the wall.

Marinette didn't respond, but he could hear her breathing. It was softer, now, not as heavy as it had been when she had first called.

 _"Who is there to stop me?"_  she shot back, though there was no fire to her words, it was more...rueful.

Luka closed his eyes, already knowing the answer, as he had asked himself many, many times before.

"Yourself."


	29. 029

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Make me, Bourgeois."

Blinking her eyes open, she breathed out through her nose and stretched her body and relaxing once again on her bed. Turning her head, she picked up her phone and huffed. Of course she would wake up before her alarm on the first day of the new school year.

She was too stressed out with the thought of having messed up the timeline, but here they were.

Today was the day that would change everything.

Getting up, putting her hair in a quick (read: lazy) bun as she went over to the bathroom to freshen up. Coming back out after she was done, she released her hair from the bun, letting it tumble down to her waist before throwing on black leggings, a navy t-shirt that read 'WHY ME' and throwing on an ash grey hoodie, pushing the sleeves up to her elbows. With a final touch, she put on socks and black low-top Vans and head downstairs to help with the macarons her father wanted to make for her new classroom.

"Morning, dad," she greeted, leaning up as he leaned down to let her kiss his cheek, before scooping some of the batter on her finger and popping it in her mouth with no hesitation.

"Mari, how many times have I told you not to do that? What if that had chocolate?" Tom scolded, but there was no bite to his words.

"No regerts," Marinette countered in English, chuckling as her father rolled his eyes at the purposeful mispronunciation of 'regrets' and used her hair tie to put her hair in a tight, low bun (where it would now stay for the rest of the day) and threw on her custom apron.

She set to fill the bags with the batter so that she could pipe them on the tray, so that her father just had to focus on his tasks as he was already finishing the fillings, which she could easily do. She wasn't the daughter of a baker for nothing, despite her severe allergy to a world-wide delicacy.

"Marinette, are yuo ready for the new school year?" Sabine asked her as she came around the corner, kissing her daughter's cheek.

Marinette shrugged, "School is school, maman."

"Looking forward to your new classmates?" Tom added, excited for Marinette, who frowned, pausing in her work to scowl.

"If Chloe is in my class again, I'm going to riot."

"Marinette," Sabine warned, exasperated, "do not start on your dislike of Chloe."

"I don't dislike her," Marinette affirmed her mother, "she just annoys me with her ploys and her 'ridiculous, this is utterly ridiculous!' that she picked up from Audrey." She mocked Chloe's voice whenever she says the phrase.

Tom snorted and fist bumped with Marinette with a mutter of 'accurate' which made Sabine cross her arms at and throw a warning look at her husband and daughter.

She swears she has two children.

-

It was only an hour and a half later, she had finished and packed away her greeting macarons and decided to help her father get the pastries and bread ready for the day when she realized oh shit what time is it?

Checking the time, she swore in Mandarin as to not alert her father of her bad language, and darted back upstairs to grab her school bag and hurried back down to depart for school.

"I'm leaving!" she called out to her parents, swiping the prepared box and a croissant wrapped in a napkin from her mother who was at the front counter to tend to their customers. Swinging her bag around as she exits the bakery, she carefully sets the box in her bag before zipping it closed and shouldering it and walking to towards her school.

Stopping at a crosswalk, her eyes fluttered up to the old man (who struggling to walk even with his cane) was crossing to her side while the sign was red and a red car coming far to quick to be able to stop without hitting the man. Without a moments hesitation, she stuck her croissant in her pocket and pushed herself forward, breathing through her nose as she basically picked the tiny man by his arm pits and carried him to the side walk just as the car sped by.

Setting him down, she breathed a sigh of relief, before glaring down at the man. Test or whatever, it definitely was not safe to do something like that.

"Thank you, miss," he said gently, and she checked him over for any possible injuries.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sorry for touching you suddenly and carrying you like that, but it was that or you would be dead," she told him blatantly, "I'd rather not have that on conscience."

"I'm sure you wouldn't," he nodded, and she noticed that his voice was very gentle, despite the curious look he was giving her. "You're very straightforward."

She shrugged, reaching into her pocket and pulling out her croissant, which was safely wrapped in the cute napkin that she convinced her mother to get imported from China. She grabbed his hand and placed her used-to-be breakfast in his hand and bowed.

"Please be careful crossing from now own."

With that, she took out her earbuds and connected them to her phone, setting each bud in her ear and shuffled her music. She checked the light, just as it turned white to walk, she left the man behind, not noticing his knowing smile. But she didn't have to see it to know.

"Thank you very much, indeed," Fu mumbled to himself, pocketing the case with the Ladybug Miraculous, watching her walk away before he turned and made his way, holding his cane behind his back as he went on his way.

-

Arriving at her school, she climbed the steps to the entrance and walked through the doors, ignoring the people who turned to look at her. Simply heading to her classroom since they didn't have assigned lockers yet, and walked in just as Miss Bustier (who she knew would be her teacher) called out to Nino to sit in the front.

Marinette went up, waving at Nathaniel after spotting him further up, to sit behind and diagonally to where Nino sat in the very front. He glanced behind to her with wide eyes, a small blush dusting his cheeks. She met his gaze, making him jump and was about to apologize for looking at her when a hand slammed on her desk.

Marinette turned to the hand with an unimpressed raise of an eyebrow and looked up to the owner of said hand with a bored face. She sighed, stopping her music and taking out her earbuds, wrapping them around her phone and placing it in her bag.

"What."

Chloe glared down at her, every since that parents day at their school and her mother seemingly coming to adore Marinette's banter with just about anyone, their somewhat mutual understanding crumbled and Chloe went back to hating Marinette and making her life more difficult, "I'm sitting here this year, so move."

Marinette has never and still doesn't give a shit.

Throwing a heated glare back, she she scowled at the blonde.

"Make me, Bourgeois."


	30. 030

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Fight."

" _Make_  me, Bourgeois."

" _Marinette Dupain-Cheng!_  I swear if you don't move-"

"Jeez, take a joke, would you?" Marinette stood, "I don't care where I sit, and I could care less where  _you_  sit." Rather than taking the seat up front with the new girl she walked up to take the seat next to Nathaniel who smiled at her.

"Hello, Marinette," he greeted, a small blush blooming across his cheeks.

"Should've just sat with you in the first place," she grumbled, setting her bag down and taking out the box of macarons, opening it and scooting the box closer to him. "Here, my dad wanted me to bring these."

"Marinette, are those your dad's macarons?" Alix asked loudly from behind her, Marinette picking one up and handed her one. "Oh,  _yes,_ they are!" she sighed, delighted.

"Tell your father thank you for me," Nathaniel smiled as he ate his. Soon there were others lining up to grab one, and she quietly nodded her head in greetings to everyone who got some, verbally greeting Juleka and Rose, as per usual.

The new girl walked up, nervously, and stood for a moment before opening her mouth.

"Can I have one?" she asked, it wasn't nervous, more hesitant than anything.  _'This is Alya,_ ' her mind supplied, this was the original Marinette's best friend. Marinette pushed the box closer to her, nodding in affirmation. Alya smiled in gratitude before taking one and heading back to the front and sat down.

Alya glanced over her shoulder to the girl with the pretty blue eyes curiously before looking forward once more and taking a bite of the macaron and making a noise of surprise of how delicious it was. Anyone with a father who make delicacies like this couldn't be bad, right?

"Alright, everyone, pick a seat so that we can start class!" Miss Bustier clapped her hands, excited. Marinette packed away the box and took out her school tablet and a notebook with a blue pen tucked inside of it.

Chloe frowned just as Sabrina took the seat next to her, crossing her arms as she gazed at the empty seat in front of her with worry, "But Adrien isn't here yet..."

-

Adrien ran as fast as he could, pushing his body to go farther and faster, he has to make it! Cross through the park as a shortcut, the silver car following him skid around to beat him. Checking both sides of the road quickly before running across to where the school was, just as he was ascending the stairs, the screech of a car made him look back.

Nathalie came out of the car along with Gorilla, Nathalie's eyes and voice pleading as she asked him to get in the car to go back home. Adrien frowned, brows furrowing in frustration.

"No!" he shouted back, "I'm tired of being cooped up in there, Nathalie! I want to have a life, learn with peers and have  _real friends_!" His voice cracked as his voice got louder, he stopped to breathe, "Just tell father that I'll be home later."

"Adrien you know I can't let you go, your father-" the both jumped, hearing a grunt and clatter of wood, turning to see an old man on the ground, hunched over after falling. Adrien's immediate instinct was to help the man, and rushed down the stairs without hesitation.

Reaching the man, he gently helped him back up, before retrieving the cane for the man and handing it to him.

"I give great thanks, young man," the old man smiled, a spark of gratitude in his eyes. Adrien returned the smile, and waved goodbye to the man who went on his way, before looking back and flinching. Gorilla blocked his way as Nathalie waited by the car door, simply waiting for him to get in the car.

With a defeated sigh, he trudged over to the car and sat in the back seat, buckling himself in as Nathalie shut the door. Rolling the window down to give the school one last looked, he locked eyes with someone looking out the window.

The figure was standing at the window, seemingly a hallway, since it lacked other people inside, looking down at him. His eyes widen in shock as he sees the girl from the park staring down at him. Her blue eyes so bright despite the tinted glass, her stare seemed to pierce right through him _._ The look she was giving him was blank, and then she opened her mouth, and despite not being able to hear her, he knew what she said.

Even as the car began to pull away, he craned his neck to keep eye contact. But she turned away, leaving Adrien to his thoughts as he rolled the window back up and stared at the fabric of the leather seats.

_"Fight."_


	31. 031

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Hello, Marinette! My name is Tikki, I am a Kwami, there is much to explain!" 
> 
> "Holy shit."

" _KIM_."

Turning to glance at Ivan standing from his seat, holding a note that he supposedly got from Kim, Miss Bustier frowned.

"Ivan, what are you doing?" she asked, with a disapproving cross of her arms.

"It's Kim! I'm gonna  _beat him to a pulp_!" Ivan growled, raising a fist towards Kim, who raised his hands up in mock surrender.

" _Ivan_!" Miss Bustier raised her voice, "To the principal's office,  _now_."

Crushing the paper into a ball, he threw a glare to Kim who waved his fingers, before making his way down.

Marinette frowned, rolling her eyes. Old habits tend to stick, don't they? She huffed, gathering her things to head down to the library. Shouldering her bag, she headed down the steps as well, nearly running into the new girl, who seemed in a rush.

"Oh, sorry! I shouldn't be running..." she apologized, but Marinette stepped around her, not caring much for the whole interaction.

"Don't worry about it."

Nathaniel and Alix walked beside her as they entered the library, Alya a few steps behind them, looking at their dynamic with curious eyes. She wouldn't have expected someone so aloof to be friends with someone so loud, the red headed boy, she could understand, but the other girl?

Arriving inside the library, everyone began sitting with their groups, and Alya faltered. Where would she sit without being the odd one out?

Marinette paused at the table she had claimed, looking up and meeting her eyes, and gesturing for her to come over to their table. Alya smiled before making her way over, Alix looking at her curiously and Nathaniel smiling slightly.

"Hello," he greeted, "You're Alya, right? I'm Nathaniel."

"I'm Alix," the pink heard one introduced, "and this is Marinette!"

"Nice to meet you guys, thanks for letting me sit with you all," she thanked, going to take her seat when there was a loud crash from above, before there was something shaking the whole school. It knocked many people out of their seats, and Alya had to hold on to the table for balance.

Was that an  _earthquake,_  holy-

"Did you hear that?!"

"Look at that!"

Alya rushed over where the other kids were, while Marinette helped Nathaniel up from the floor before they followed her, seeing the TV.

There, outside, was a sort of- rock,  _monster_ , thing.

Alya's mouth dropped as the thing yelled  _"KIM!"_  before stalking off, "That was  _Ivan's_  voice! It's like he's been transformed into an actual  _super villain_! Oh my god, this is something out of a comic book!" she gushed. "My phone is charged up- I'm so out of here!"

Marinette looked at her, tight lipped, while Nathaniel looked at her in fear, "If that's true, then it's dangerous! Why would you go out there?!"

"Uh, to capture it on film? Wherever there is a villain, there is a super hero following right behind! I wouldn't miss that for the world!" she rushed out in excitement before pushing through the doors and dashing to follow the monster.

Alix whistled, "Holy shit, she's crazy."

Glancing at the television, she didn't even blink as the villain threw a car at the camera, making it cut off. "We need to get out of here too," she pushed them towards the doors, "let's go home with our families."

They couldn't protest that.

-

"Give me a minute, would you, Nathalie?" His father's voice made him jump, having been slumped in his chair as he resumed home schooling with Nathalie. Adrien looked up with wide eyes as Nathalie stepped to the side, and his father sent him a harsh, scolding look. "You are  _not_  going to public school, I've told you a million times."

"But, father-" he stood from his chair in protest, throwing a betrayed look towards Nathalie who looked away in guilt.

"You have everything here and I can watch over you better, the outside is dangerous," Gabriel pushed, adamant on keeping Adrien locked away.

"The world is  _not_  dangerous, father!" he argued, furrowing his brows, "I'm always here by myself!  I just want to go to school like other kids and make  _friends_ like everyone else!"

Hearing those words, Gabriel's mind goes back to many years ago, to a small, blue-eyed girl, glaring at him.

 _(You may be able to control his life now, and even without me in his life, he will rebel," she stated, bright, blue-bell eyes that didn't even blink at his harsh glare. "Adrien is a carefree soul, he cannot be contained for long. You may do so if you please, it will not affect me in any way, but him. You will_ damage  _him, intentional or not, and eventually, he will fight back, to be_ free _. To be_ human _.")_

Simply thinking about it made his anger rise to new heights, and he found himself taking it out on none other than Adrien.

" _You_  are not everyone else!" Gabriel shouted, "You are  _Adrien Agreste_ , you are  _my_ son, and you will  _do as I say_."

What he didn't expect was for Adrien to slam his hands down on the table, "I wish I  _wasn't_!" he shouted back , Nathalie gasping and Gabriel recoiling from the outburst, before turning away and running to his room, not wanting to see or talk to his father.

Whether Adrien meant that he wishes that he was like everyone else, or wishes that he wasn't his son— it was a slap to his face, and heart dropping to his stomach as he stared at where Adrien once stood.

Adrien's heart was pumping so quickly, as he shut his door behind him and locking it, not knowing how and why he was able to stand up to his father like that. His mind flashed back to the girl, standing at the window.

_"Fight."_

Is this what she meant? Fight to be himself? Fight for what he wants?

He was drawn out of his thoughts when everything began to shake, making him stumble before everything stilled once again. Running over to the window, he gasped in shock, seeing police and military fight against- against-  _what the hell is it?_ It just  _grew_  after being hit!

Scrambling for his remote, he turned his TV on, clicking to the news, where Mr. Bourgeois informing everyone to stay in their homes, before switching to the newscaster showing a clip of the monster.

"It has been confirmed that Paris is indeed being attacked by a  _super villain_! The police are-" Adriend zoned out from there. Paris is being attacked? By an actual bad guy that can be classified as a  _super villain_?

He looked down to his coffee table in thought- he blinked in surprise, flinching back slightly.

"What's this doing here?" he asked out loud, picking it up and inspecting it closely before opening it, only to shield his eyes from the bright, green light that emitted from the curious black ring with a green paw on it.

-

Marinette looked down at the case in her hand with distaste, the news playing on her computer screen was only background noise to her as she stared at the design of the case.

She has to do this, doesn't she?

Was there truly no escaping this fate?

Sighing, she rested her other hand on top, and opened the case. There, tucked in the crevice in the middle of black velvet, sat two red earrings with five, black dots to make a ladybug pattern. There was only a second to see the pair before a bright red light blinded her.

She closed her eyes before squinting them open, seeing a small creature floating in front of her, blue eyes staring right back at her.

"Hello, Marinette! My name is Tikki, I am a Kwami, there is much to explain!" Tikki smiled, bowing her head in greeting.

"Holy shit," Marinette breathed. Expecting this day was much,  _much_  better than to actually go through the real deal, but she knew there wasn't anyone or anything that could help her.

There is nothing that could prepare her for what was to come.


	32. 032

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You must be my partner, kitty."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> since you guys have already read this, i went ahead and posted all the missing chapters in between.
> 
> i just spent the last half hour sifting through my drafts to fix the order of the chapters. 
> 
> from now until chapter 40 i will be posting a chapter a day since that would finally make ao3 caught up with what i have on wattpad! then you'll also follow the same update schedule which is every two weeks on wednesdays!
> 
> sorry for all of the confusion and mess guys. :(

Tikki looked up curiously at the human before her, who stared back at her with slightly wide eyes. After letting out a breath of 'holy shit', much to the Kwami's disapproval of choice of words, she reached a hand up and poked Tikki.

"I've waited to meet your for fourteen years, Tikki," Marinette smiled, though as old as Tikki was, she saw something more than just a smile. She saw a tired soul, one who was simply living because she has to.

She hasn't seen a soul like this in quite a while.

But never has she met a Ladybug who knew of her before meeting, let alone admitting to have been waiting years for her. But fourteen...that's—

"How could you have been waiting for me for as long as you've been alive?" Tikki blurted, looking at the girl with confusion. Marinette tilted her head, the same smile still there.

"I'll tell you when there isn't a villain destroying Paris," she reached over and picked up the earrings and swiftly replaced the ones she was wearing for the now solid black earrings.

Tikki nodded, relieved that she'll receive answers, "You have to break the item in which the Akuma is inside of, causing all this destruction, and capture it! You're secret power is Lucky Charm." Marinette nods, although rather hesitantly, "Now, all you have to do is say 'Spots On.'"

Breathing in a deep breath, Marinette steeled herself.'

"Tikki, Spots On."

A bright red light engulfed the room as Tikki disappeared into the earrings, and Marinette could feel a fluttering feeling across her body, her hair released itself from it's loose tie at the nape of her neck and drew itself into two high buns, each held tightly with a red sash, four long strands bellowing behind her. Her bangs swept to the side, rather than having them straight down, with her shorter strands of hair framing her face.

The fluttering of magic across her skin, disappeared, and looking in her mirror, it revealed a more traditional outfit than she hadn't been expecting. Her face was predictably covered by a ladybug themed mask over her eyes, but her breasts were held up by tight, white bandages, which was revealed by her open red and black-spotted mini kimono dress, which was loosely tied with an obi around her waist, and tight black shorts were found under, much to her relief. On her feet, were black flats, she she found she could not take off at all.

"Huh," she examined herself, "that was...overwhelming and anticlimactic at the same time." In the mirror, she spotted a black wire around her thigh, and investigated. "Oh, it's my yo-yo." She unlatched it from around were thigh, and tested it out as if it were an actual yo-yo. 

"Marinette, are you home?! Did you get home safely?!" She jumped, hearing her mother's voice downstairs, and rushed up to the window latch, escaping her room and hiding on her roof balcony. "Tom! She's not here, call the school!"

Marinette frowned, she didn't want to worry her parents, but there wasn't anything she could do about it at this moment.

Hopping onto the rails with practiced balance that came from years of dancing, along with it enhanced with new abilities, she spun her yo-yo and threw it, tugging it after it wrapped around a stable object, and let it pull her into the sky.

She gasped, looking at the city from this height, the wind feeling oh-so refreshing and cool on her skin. She found herself grinning, then a bubbling laugh escaped her.

She felt...

She felt so alive.

-

After escaping his room as a super hero, Adrien found himself testing his abilities, and was currently balancing across his staff from one building to another, which he had found can elongate without limit. 

He stopped in his tracks, his black ears flickering on his head as he heard bubbly laughter and looked up to see a girl in traditional Asian clothing, though he couldn't pinpoint from which country exactly it could have originated in. He cheeks flushed slightly at her exposed chest, though covered, one could see that this girl had been well-endowed.

She spotted him, and quickly threw her- is that a yo-yo?- around the top structure of a building to change her direction, and flipped before landing in a squat on his staff. Standing, she looked at him with a curious look, before grinning. 

"You must be my partner, kitty."

"Oh, uh," he stuttered, his staff suddenly closing, making them drop down to the ground. Adrien let out a sound of surprise but landed on all fours, having the ability of a cat. He retrieved his staff sheepishly, tucking it back on his lower back where it belonged. "Sorry, I didn't do it on purpose."

"It's fine, we've only started learning after all," she smiled, and Adrien sighed in relief, happy to have someone understanding.

Marinette was freaking out inside her head, trying to create a persona that wouldn't be recognized once she returned to being herself. She new she could come off as cold and uncaring, but she just didn't express herself. She was emotionally constipated.

But she didn't want to fake herself, either.

That didn't mean she wasn't enjoying herself right now. She hasn't felt this lively in a long, long time, and while seeing Adrien wasn't something she had wanted for a while, she decided that running away from her feelings would only hurt her more.

That's what Luka taught her.

"Well, I'm, hmm..." Adrien broke her out of her thoughts, thinking quickly before snapping his fingers, "I'm Chat Noir, and you?"

Before she could answer, the ground began to shake and they both gasped as they turned to watch a whole building collapse, Marinette tensing. There are people in there.

The situation just felt more real in that moment.

"Come on!" She shouted, throwing her yo-yo and tugging once it was secured, swinging in the air and between buildings to arrive at the destination. 

"H-hey, wait up!" Chat Noir held on to his staff and using the extension to push him self on top of a building to follow after her.

They arrived to where the source of the screaming was coming from, which was in the stadium and Marinette threw herself down between the enemy and Kim, glaring up at him as Kim took his chance to run away. He glanced back at the girl but kept running.

"Pick on someone your own size," the girl in ladybug clothing snarled, and the monster roared, throwing a punch to where she stood. Marinette jumped, flipping out of the area. Chat Noir jumped down to help distract the villain, who growled at the new enemy, and grabbed the goalie net, and threw it at the black cat clad superhero, who used his staff to redirect it.

Unfortunately, it sent it towards a girl in the sidelines, recording the fight on her phone and Chat Noir gasped as it headed her way.

Alya stared with wide eyes, unable to move as the object came flying towards her when something wrapped around her waist and pulled her away from where she once stood. Releasing the breath she was holding, she found herself being held by the female superhero, while she used the other arm to hold her yo-yo to swing them to an open exit. Alya looked at the female in awe, eyes shining in admiration and the calm and collected determination on her features.

Once they landed, the girl sent her a harsh glare, "You shouldn't be here, it's dangerous. Leave." Not giving Alya a chance, she hurried back to the fight, just in time to catch Chat Noir being thrown into the other goal net from him hitting the villain, which grew in size.

Rushing over to her partner, she studied the enemy across the field. Chat Noir jumped back up, ready to go again and running past her, "Come on, Wonderbug! Time to kick some rocky road!"

Marinette grimaced, that was awful.

She caught him by his tail before who could get too far and pulled him back, unamused, "We can't just go in without a plan."

"Use our special abilities, there, plan- now let's go!" She yanked him back once again and he whine, "Stop doing that!

"He get's bigger whenever you hit him, we have to try something else."

Chat hummed, she did have a point. "Like what?" Marinette pondered for a moment, only taking her eyes off him for a few seconds before he exclaimed in excitement, "Oh, I know! Cataclysm!" Dark energy surrounded his clawed hands, bubbling from the density. Marinette flinched at the raw power that radiated off Chat's hand. "Apparently, I destroy whatever I touch." He explained, going to touch the goal behind that, but she could his wrist with a 'are you kidding?' look.

"Chat, you only get one chance to use your special power, once you use it, you only have a few minutes before you turn back to normal."

"Oh," he frowned, maybe he should have let Plagg keep explaining. "Then what should I do?" Marinette let go and looked over at the villain, who began heading their way, and she looked at his right fist, which hadn't opened once.

"We need to get him to open his hand, whatever he's holding might just be what we're looking for. I need you to get to his feet, and either use it on him, or destroy the ground below him."

"Nice thinking! Let's do this!"

-

Things did not go as planned.

As soon as Chat Noir was close enough, he set to hit the villain with his Cataclysm, but was hit with a fist that shot him to the stands, his hand touching the seats which wasted his one chance.'

He huffed, "Are you kidding me?!" he yelled, hurrying to help his partner fend off the onslaught of attacks, which she avoided and blocked swiftly, doing her best to not get hit or land blows. She did say he grows bigger with every hit, after all.

Returning to their distance away, they only had a few moments before the giant rock villain would reach them once again. Marinette closed her eyes and through her yo-yo up, "Lucky Charm!" White light illuminated from the yo-yo before blinding them, once the the light was gone, it revealed a-

"Is that a rubber suit?" he questioned in a flat tone.

Looking around, her vision zoomed in on items she could use, landing on the closed fist, then- damn it- Alya in the distance, recording still, and the hose, which the end had been brought all the way to where they were standing.

Picking up the end of the hose, she quickly did some handy work to connect them, with the end of the hose secured inside the suit. Once she was finished, she smirked up at Chat, wrapping her yo-yo around his legs.

He looked down confused, before meeting her eyes, "Get ready to fly, kitty," before swing him around and towards the villain, and following after as Chat was caught in the free hand, holding on tightly to her contraption and the villain was forced to catch her in the other hand.

This was it, this was how it was always meant to happen.

Gasping at the tight hold around her, beginning to crush her, she turned to Alya.

"Turn on the tap!" she yelled, before yelping as she was squeezed harder. Alya scrambled at the order and quickly did as cold, watching with bated breath as water rushed to where she was and the suit expanded with water. 

The fist around her released her from shock and she immediately rolled into landing and making a mad dash to the small purple object that had been dropped and breaking it. A purple butterfly escaped the item, fluttering off and Marinette frowned. That was it right?

They caught it, right?

Chat Noir stared at his partner in awe, Ivan next to him waking up from his daze, "Wow..." he whispered, "She's amazing." Standing up, he made his way over to her, though grew confused when he saw her frowning.

"What's going on, what an I doing here?" Ivan's voice made them turn to him, but before either could explain, Chat Noir's ring began to beep, signaling the last two minutes he had.

"Uh-oh, I guess that's my cue," he turned to her, "you were awesome."

"Thanks, but I couldn't have done it alone," she nodded in thanks, smiling at him. "You should go, out identities are supposed to be secret."

"I'll see you later then, milady," he grinned a cheshire cat smile, "I bid you adieu."

"Later, kitty cat." 

She waved as he jumped off, heading back to his home.

Her smile dropped, and she sighed in exhaustion, the turned to Ivan, who was getting up, still confused. Looking at the crumpled paper in her hands, she opened it and read the contents.

"Kim wrote it," Ivan supplied, "he's always making fun of me."

"Don't let him see that it gets to you," she grabbed his hand and put the paper in his grasp instead. "People like him pick on others to make themselves feel better, and this," she gestured to the note, then poked his chest, where his heart would be, "there is nothing wrong with telling someone your feelings. Never feel shame for having feelings. Your feelings are your own, and you're allowed to have them."

Ivan sent her a small smile, and nodded.

"That was amazing!" Marinette saw Alya only a few feet away from them now, and Alya was shooting off question after question, and Marinette glared at her, shutting her up immediately.

"You," she hissed, "I told you it was too dangerous and to leave! You could have gotten hurt!" 

Alya sent her finger guns, "But I didn't."

"Unbelievable." Marinette stood up and turned to leave, throwing her yo-yo up and feeling it latch on, she was ready to leave. 

"Wait! Who are you, miss...?" Alya trailed off. Marinette glanced back, with an amused smile.

"Don't the spots give it away? The name's Ladybug."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's late and i have work tomorrow morning so good night! :)
> 
> squishy out! :b


	33. 033

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien's heart pounded, the beat all he could hear in his ears, until he echoed, "Marinette?"
> 
> "Yeah, Marinette Dupain-Cheng."
> 
> ( His lips pursed before pushing Chloe away. Running over to the other instead, he declared, "Nette's!" and wrapped his arms around his bestest friend ever.)
> 
> Bringing a hand up to his head that had begun to throb painfully, he stared at his open palm, before curling all but one finger in. He stared long and hard at his pinkie.
> 
> "Mari...nette...?"

"The Stonebeings are frozen in place like statues, police are perplexed. Will they come to life? Or will they be stuck like this? Stay tuned."

Marinette watched as her mother hugged her father in comfort, watching the news, while she hurried to her room.

"Tikki, what did I forget to do?" she asked as soon as they were in the privacy of her room. Tikki glanced at her computer screen, which was also playing the news, before glancing back at Marinette with worried eyes.

"Did you  _catch_   the Akuma?" she asked, watching as the blue eyes glazed over, Marinette's mind going back to the moment she watched the purple butterfly flutter away. She had simply  _stood_  there, and  _saw_  it leave, and she couldn't figure out what it was she was missing.

" _Shit_ ," she groaned, running a hand down her face, "I just  _released_  it."

Tikki gasped and flew up to level her face, "This doesn't bode well, Marinette! Akuma's can multiply, that's why there are more of those Stonehearts; and if Ivan's emotions turn negative again, the Akuma with return to it's original source, and those copies will be in his control!"

"If only I had remembered-" Marinette frowned, disappointed in herself. Her memories were becoming distant moments of the past, not recalling everything from her past life as her head was filled with new ones of her  _present_. "It's my fault this is happening."

"Marinette, this was your first time, mistakes are expected! You just have to fix it," the Kwami encouraged, and Marinette smiled appreciatively at the small being.

"I guess it's time to explain to you how I knew about you, Tikki," said Kwami perked up at the reminder and nodded, and Marinette sat down on her bed, bringing her foot up and resting her chin on her knee as she wrapped her arms around her leg. "Tell me, as a Kwami as old as yourself, do you believe in  _past lives_?"

- 

"Paris is relying on our new guardian angels, Ladybug and Chat Noir to help us with this dilemma."

Marinette sipped her tea idly, trying not to show to much interest in the television.

"Mari, sweetie, I want you to be careful, alright?" Tom came to rest a hand on her shoulder, worried, "There may be two superheroes protecting Paris but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be cautious. If they don't save you, then I will!" 

Rolling her eyes at her father's joking stance of holding a baguette like a sword, she scoffed in a amusement, "Sure, dad." Pressing a quick peck to his cheek, she grabbed her bag and headed out. "I'm heading out, I'll be back later!" she called out, hearing her parent's reply to be careful.

It was a ten minute walk to the school, but she eventually made it, not finding Nathaniel of Alix, she headed over to see Juleka talking Rose. They happily greeted her, Juleka lighting up before they head over to where Ivan was slouched on the bench, people talking to him. You could tell he was upset about their words, shaking his head.

"You were trying to kill me, man!" Kim complained, and Juleka jumped a little in her spot.

"I thought your were  _awesome_." Marinette slapped her arm none-too-lightly and sent her a look, 

"I wasn't...I wasn't  _me_...forgive me," Ivan groaned, putting his face in his hands. 

There was a scoff behind them, Chloe walking up to them with her arms crossed, Sabrina right behind her, "Yeah,  _sure._ Haven't you heard the saying? Once a monster,  _always_  a monster." Ivan stood, angry, and stormed off, pushing his way through the crowd. " _Careful_ , he might turn into that  _monster_  again."

Marinette clicked her tongue, meeting Chloe's glare with her own. How could she even say something like that? Leaving the group, not wanting to be around the group, she heard Alya scold Chloe as she left.

"How could you even say that to him?  _You're_  the one with a  _Stoneheart_!" Alya growled.

"Uh-huh, because  _I'm_  the one who broke Sabrina's dad's arm? Mhm, sure. Just because your  _lame_ footage of those  _lame_  superheroes was one TV, you think you're all that? Get of your high horse, new girl!"

"You little-" 

"Look out, she's  _angry_!" Chloe announce, "now  _she's_  going to turn into a big, scary  _monster_."

Marinette entered the locker room, checking down the different rows before finding who she was searching for. Sitting down on the bench across him, he glanced up at her, surprise on his face. She and Ivan don't associate much. Taking off his head phones, he gave her a wary look.

"I wouldn't expect you of all people to come tease me too," he expressed, unimpressed and disappointed.

Marinette tilted her head, "Have I said anything that could have offended you?"

"Well, no-"

"Then don't assume that I'm like them, I am who I am," she crossed her legs, her ears picking up on excited screams outside, leaning forward, "Who are  _you_?"

"I'm Ivan!" he frowned, then looked down at the floor, "But no one can see that anymore. They just see a  _monster_."

"Are you?"

His head snapped up, "What?"

"Do you believe the words of people who know nothing about you?" she pushed, "Are you, Ivan, a monster?"

" _No._ "

She nodded, a small smile curving her lips, "Then I'll believe that you aren't."

"Thank you...Marinette. You're a lot different than what people say," he admitted, although guiltily. It's no secret that people fear  _and_  admire Marinette Dupain-Cheng, who wouldn't?

"People say things," she shrugged, standing up and holding out a hand to help him up, "I just don't give a shit." He huffs a laugh, taking her hand and pulling himself up, surprised at her strength. "So, Mylene, huh?"

Snatching his hand back, he looked away, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Bullshit," she scoffed, "being quiet doesn't mean I'm oblivious. You and Mylene have been tip-toeing around each other since last year."

"But..." he slouches, "I'm no good with words."

"Who said anything about about words?" she raised and eyebrow as he looked up at her. "There are many ways to express how you feel, express  _yourself,_ now you just have to find them."

Ivan looked down at his shoes, and nodded. Marinette was right, he didn't have to write a letter to Mylene, he could-

"I could write her a song?" he questions, looking for approval, but only got a shrug in response.

"Do what you want, Ivan. I don't make decisions for you." She started heading out to head up to class, "Be seeing you."

Ivan watched her for a bit, until she was completely gone, then headed out himself to write his song for Mylene.

Marinette was a nice person.

-

"Come this way Adrikins, your seat is right in front of mine!" she gloated, fluttering her lashes, "I saved it just for you." Everyone watched as the famous model Adrien Agreste walked in the room with a charming smile, resting his hand on her shoulder in gratitude.

"Thanks Chloe," he sat down, turning to his new seat mate nervously, holding out his hand, "Hi, I'm Adrien." 

Nino squinted at him, cautious, "So, you're friends with  _Chloe_ , huh?" His question confused Adrien; what was so bad about being friends with Chloe? Nino glanced at something up the stairs, making him turn to see what it was. His eyes widened when he saw Chloe take out her gum, giving it to Sabrina to put on a seat.

Nathaniel tried to protest but was silenced by a nasty glare with a silent threat.

"Chloe, what are you doing?" Adrien asked, standing from his seat to stop her.

"You gotta stop messin' with Mari, Chloe," Alix slammed her hands on the table, going over to get the gum off the chair when Adrien beat her to it.

"I'm tired of her thinking she can do whatever she wants," she crossed her arms, waving both Alix and Adrien off. "Her attitude needs some adjusting."

"You think this is necessary?" Adrien gestured, frustrated, but still pushed forward, bending down at the seat to try and get the gum off, finding a struggled as it was very sticky.

Chloe huffed, showing how upset she was about him doing so. Knowing he won't budge, she sat at her seat with a heavy pout.

Suddenly, the whispers and chatter died down, though Adrien didn't know why, then he heard steps and the stopped right behind him. Turning to look over his shoulder, his eyes met bright, blue-bell eyes.

They stared at him, the sparkle wasn't there, but there was recognition. She didn't say anything, simply raising a brow as he stood quickly, trying to force words out to explain, but only stuttered.

The girl glanced down at the seat, seeing the gum, she frowned. Without much problem, she reached down and scraped it off with her nail before making it down a few steps and throwing it away in the trash and returning up waiting for Adrien to move out of the way, but he was still on trying to explain himself.

"I was trying to get it off," he rushed out, finally giving a coherent sentence.

"Okay," she nodded, "now can you move so I can sit at my seat?"

"Oh, uh, sorry."

Moving out of the way, he watched her immediately sit down and looked at him, expectantly.

"Need something?"

"N-no, sorry..." he scurried down to his seat,  groaning and burying his face in his hands, feeling it to be warmer than normal.

Nino had watched curiously, and with sympathy, seeing Adrien try to help Marinette and rather got blamed for it. Though, knowing Marinette, she probably already knew that it wasn't him but just didn't care.

"You didn't sell Chloe out," he leaned over, whispering, "why?"

"I've known Chloe since we were toddlers, while I know she isn't picture perfect, she's the only friend I've got."

Nino smiled, seeing that Adrien wasn't at all like he thought. He's only friends with Chloe because she's only one he has, and that was just  _sad_. Holding out his hand this time, he grinned, "Well, I'm Nino, and I'll be your new friend." Adrien took the hand, eyes crinkling as he smiled brightly, giddy to have made another friend.

"By the way," Adrien whispered, glancing back to a few rows back where he saw the girl with the pretty blue eyes and hair tied back in a low bun leaning into the red head next to her, both of them looking at something on the desk. She seemed to be pointing and mumbling words to him, who nodded and would reply. "Who is that girl, the one Chloe doesn't like."

"Chloe doesn't like  _anyone_ ," Nino rolled his eyes, "but since you're new  _here_ , I'm not surprised you don't know her."

"Is she popular?" Adrien probed, he wouldn't be surprised if she was.

"Not really, but there isn't a student in this school who doesn't know Marinette," he sighed dreamily, "and there isn't a single guy here who doesn't want to date her."

Adrien's heart pounded, the beat all he could hear in his ears, until he echoed, "Marinette?"

"Yeah, Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

 _(_ _His lips pursed before pushing Chloe away. Running over to the other instead, he declared, "Nette's!" and wrapped his arms around his_ bestest friend  _ever.)_

Bringing a hand up to his head that had begun to throb painfully, he stared at his open palm, before curling all but one finger in. He stared long and hard at his pinkie.

"Mari...nette...?"


	34. 034

Miss Bustier was going through roll call, starting off with Adrien, who had no idea what was going on. "Agreste, Adrien?" she called, looking down at her clip board with the list of students.

Nino nudged him, whispering, "You're supposed to say,  _present_."

"Oh, uh, present!" He said, though a little too loud which garnered some chuckles and giggles from the others. He smiled sheepishly and Miss Bustier simply smiled kindly at him.

She continued, "Bourgeois, Chloe?"

"Present."

"Bruel, Ivan?"

Everyone jumped as Stoneheart came crashing through the door, ripping the door off its hinges and roaring, " _PRESENT_." All the students began screaming, Chloe ducking under the desk to call her father. " _Mylene?"_  he called out, looking for the girl who screamed in terror as Stoneheart drew closer.

Marinette was quick to push herself over the desk despite the shouts of her name from her three friends (four if you count Rose, but she was more of Juleka's friend so she tolerated her presence). Running across the desks in front of her, she tripped on the second to last one when Stoneheart shoved some miscellaneous items to the side.

Her hands landed on Adrien's shoulder's just as he was getting up to make his escape out of the room, pushing herself with her momentum from her fall to vault herself over the desk and landed on the floor in front of them.

Throwing her hands up after sticking the land as if she were a gymnast, she immediately ran out the door and leaving.

"I'm gonna kick her butt for leaving us behind," Alix hissed, hiding behind a desk next to Juleka, Nathaniel and Rose. Juleka frowned and nodded, agreeing.

Adrien snapped out of his stupor and hurried out as well, going down to the locker room to transform into Chat Noir.

"First day and I can't even get through roll call. Come on, Plagg,  _Claws Out_!"

"Awe, man," Plagg groaned as he gets sucked into the ring.

-

"Do you have any idea who I am?!" Chloe shouted, demanding to be released, "My father is the  _mayor_! He'll get the police, the army, the-the whole  _cavalry_!"

"Don't be forgetting about us superheroes!" Chat Noir flipped over Stoneheart, delivering a blow. Once he landed, the villain shone brightly as it's size increased. "Whoops, forgot about that."

"More like super- _incompetent_ ," Chloe rolled her eyes.

"You want cavalry? I'll give you cavalry!" Stoneheart roared, and all the replicas came running to their location. Chat Noir did his best to defend himself, avoiding attacks all while trying to keep up with the original.

Alya came running around the corner, ducking behind a trash can and peaking around just as one of the Stonebeings through a car at Chat Noir. He dodged it but whipped around when he heard a yelp. Alya tried to run, but it was obvious that she wouldn't have made it.

Chat was ready to throw his baton to change the angle of the car when Alya was swept up by a passing figure, making him grin, "Ladybug!"

Ladybug smiled, holding the string of her yo-yo in one hand and holding Alya up by her waist as she swung them to a safe spot, but noticed that his staff was knocked away and was now being held by the upper half of his body. Setting Alya down, she rested her hands on her hips.

"Seriously?" she started, "You could have been injured, or worse, killed. I won't always have good timing." Alya was about to say something but was silence by Ladybug's hand, "I don't want to hear it. Just be  _more careful._ " She threw her yo-yo, and swinging after her partner, picking his baton from the ground and propelling herself to the roofs, running overhead before swinging over the hand that held Chat and dropped his baton inside. "Chat Noir!"

"Got it!" Extending his baton into a staff, he was able to break the grip around him and rolled once hitting the ground. Shaking his head, he felt something wrap around this calf and pull him up into the air. "Whoa!" Looking up from his hanging position, Ladybug sat on the lamp post.

"Sorry for the wait," she apologized.

"Have I ever told you that you turn my world upside down?" he joked, wiggling his eyebrows. Ladybug let out a small laugh, shaking her head. She was about to reply when the Stonebeings began roaring and running towards them.

"Whoop, gotta blast!" she announce, jumping back onto the roof, pulling Chat along by his leg before hauling him up as well and he raced to keep up with her.

"Wait, wait! Aren't we going to take them down?" he called out, but she kept on her track.

"If you want to take them all out, you have to take down the first one," she explained, both stopping at the stairs right before the bridge to the Eiffel Tower, where Stoneheart had climbed up on.

Stonebeings began to make their way to the tower as well, where there was a barricade waiting. The mayor stood next to a police car, yelling into a megaphone.

"I demand my daughter's return!"

"Daddy!" Chloe cried, struggling to break free from Stoneheart's grasp.

"You want her back?" Stoneheart asked, before raising her up in the air, "You can have her!" He promptly threw her, sending her flying towards the impending ground. The mayor screamed in horror and Chloe in fear.

Was this how it was going to end?

Before she could hit the ground, a figure flew down and caught her, pulling them both up with her yo-yo and landing on the ground, carrying Chloe bridal style. Setting her down quickly, Ladybug tried to snap Chloe out of her daze.

Chloe stared at the masked female with wide eyes, not noticing she was shaking and breathing irregularly until the hero cupped her cheeks, calling out to her.

"Hey...hey! Look at me. Just look at me," patting her cheeks lightly, she got Chloe to focus, her breath calming down, "hey, you're  _just fine_ , okay?" Nodding numbly, she realized that her father was running over, and scooped her up in a tight hug.

"Oh, Chloe," he whispered, tugging her away behind the barricade. "Oh, my little princess." Chloe brought her hands up to curl them up in his suit, wrinkling the fabric, but it grounded her.

She sniffled before whispering, "I was so scared."

"Me too...I couldn't bare to lose you, my darling, little girl."

"We are now clear to attack," a red-headed officer shouted, his right arm in a sling. Chat Noir appeared behind ladybug just as she whipped around to face the officials,

"Whoa, whoa,  _whoa_. Are you crazy?!" she waved her arms, "If you hit him, you'll only make it worse!"

"How about you mind your own business as a civilian and leave it to the professionals. You've already failed once," he scorned.

"Sure we did," she admitted, catching everyone off guard, "if I had captured Stoneheart's akuma the first time, we wouldn't be here. It's my fault."

"Ladybug, that's not-"

"But," she crossed her arms, standing her ground, "we also managed to do more than you  _professionals_  did. I'm not putting down your work, you all did all you could, but these akumas are not for you to handle. Without us, she," she pointed at Chloe, "wouldn't be alive, along with another girl you had no idea was almost crushed by a car." The officials flinched, not finding the words to respond. "This current situation is my fault, so let me take responsibility,  _please_."

Chat Noir stepped up, wrapped his arm around her shoulders with a smirk, "Us," he corrected. "Let  _us_  take responsibility. We are a team, after all." A minuscule blush spread on Ladybug's cheeks, looking up at the blond.

Before anyone could reply, Stoneheart roared. Everyone turned to look in shock as the villain began coughing and spluttering, before a hoard of dark butterflies erupted from his mouth, sending him falling back, frozen. Mylene screamed, but was still unable to get out of the closed fist around her.

Everyone present looked on at the black butterflies as they formed a face, and then it began to  _talk_ , "People of Paris, listen closely, I am  _Papillon_. Give me the Ladybug earrings and the Chat ring now. Don't you think you've done enough damage to these poor, innocent people."

"I'm gonna stop your tirade right there," Ladybug stepped forward, a scowl on her face, "what do you take us for? Don't try to put the blame on someone else, without you,  _none of this_  would have happened in the first place. Papillon, no matter how long it takes, or how we have to do it, we'll find you and end your terrorism  _and_  retrieve  _your_  Miraculous!"

Pushing into a running start, she wrapped her yo-yo around to lamp posts and slingshot herself towards the hoard. She grunted, capturing and dispersing all the akumas, Papillon roared in pain until disappearing.

Those who watched bellow could only show their shock and awed expressions as she landed at the edge and smiled down at them. "No matter who is out there that wants to hurt you, no matter what akuma may appear, Ladybug and Chair Noir are here to protect you. I ask of you all to  _count on us_." Raising her yo-yo, she released all the purified akumas, which dispersed like a strong wind.

"Whoa," Chat released the breath he was holding, the officials cheering behind him, though he didn't pay much mind to them. His focus solely on his partner, "Whoever she is under that mask...surely I would..."

His mind flashed to Marinette, staring up at him through her eyelashes with bright blue-bell eyes.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he quickly made his way up the tower with Ladybug, just as Stoneheart got up and started climbing up the tower.

"I won't let you take Mylene from me," he growled, "Gather, Stonebeings!"

"Oh boy," Chat Noir and Ladybug leaned over the rail to see the Stonebeings climbing up, then turned to where Stoneheart was making his way up as well.

"Ladybug, he's holding the Akuma and Mylene in the same hand, but how are we going to make him let go?"

Marinette smirked, "We have to catch him off guard."

"If it were that easy, we'd have this in the bag," he rested a hand on his hip,  _surely_  she knew  _that_ _._

She shook her head, "Tell me, kitty, what happens when you bring together two shy people who like each other close to one another?"

He raised an eyebrow, "Uh, I don't know? I guess they get flu-" he paused, " _Oh_." Ladybug winked and swung up to catch up with Stoneheart. "I can't tell if that's really smart or actually kind of evil..." he laughed in disbelief and quickly followed after her.

Ladybug squatted on the top of the tower, squinting her eyes, Mylene looked up and was about shout, but the hero quickly held a finger to her lips.  _Don't alarm him of her presence_.

Rising up to balance on the beam, she threw her yo-yo up, " _Lucky Charm_." Retrieving her yo-yo only a few moments later, she caught a ladybug patterned- "Is this a parachute?" she squawked as Chat flew behind her, screaming. Luckily landing on a beam near her, he glanced at her strapping on the parachute.

"What are you doing?"

She grinned, "Getting ready for some  _free fallin'_ ," she switch the last two words to English, spinning her yo-yo and wrapping it around Stoneheart's arm and over his shoulder, and pulling. "Get ready, Chat Noir!" Pulling with all her strength, she was able to bring the hand closer, and then there was the small of a small  _'smooch'_  of Mylene's lips meeting Stoneheart's.

They both gasped, but Stoneheart jerked his hand away, releasing his hold of both Mylene and the Akuma, Mylene crying out as she barely caught hold of one of the stony fingers. Chat Noir flipped off the tower, sticking his staff in the crevice of the structure and extended it, pulling it out as he neared the Akuma and swung it like a bat to hit it towards Ladybug. After grabbing on to a beam himself, he looked up expectantly as she caught it.

Wrapping the yo-yo around it, with a swift tug to apply pressure, the item broke and out came the evil akuma. "There you are, you little shit," she muttered, opening her yo-yo and spinning it to get a good throw, "time to go back to who you once were."

She gasped as Ivan returned to himself, both and him and Mylene screaming as they began to plummet to their doom. Steeling herself, she didn't hesitate to jump off and aimed herself for Mylene.

"Chat Noir!"

"I got him!" he called back, " _Cataclysm_!" Hopping up, he pressed his hand into a part of the tower, which pushed out a part above it. He held on tightly until he caught Ivan by his hand, looking to see how his partner was fairing.

Holding on to Mylene, she angled herself to throw her yo-yo and catch the akuma, before pulling the string on her chute and releasing the parachute, beginning a safe descend.

Now, safely on the ground, Mylene tried to calm herself down and breathe slowly, Ladybug opened her yo-yo releasing a now white and purified butterfly with a soft, "Be true to yourself, little butterfly."

Grabbing her parachute, she toss it up in the air with a shout of " _Miraculous Ladybug_!" The parachute become a cluster of shimmering ladybugs that broke into groups, wrapping around destroyed objects and stonebeings, returning them to how they once were.

Chat supported Ivan as they all watched in awe as everything was turned back, as if the attack had never happened.

Once everything was finished being restored, she brought Mylene and Ivan together, handing Mylene the song that Ivan had wrote for her. "Read," she pointed at the female then turned to Ivan, "talk. My work here is done, peace out."

Standing side by side with her partner, she watched as words and blushes were exchanged between the two, when Mylene finally hugged Ivan, leaving him a blushing mess not knowing what to do.

"That could be us, you know," Chat joked, and Ladybug laughed, bumping his shoulder.

" _Sure_ ," she replied, though sarcastically. "We could be like Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl." Chat turned to her with wide eyes, but the look she was giving him meant that she was pulling his leg.

"Don't go leading me on, you'll break my poor heart," he sighed deeply, holding a hand to his chest, changing his expression to one of  _hurt_.

Both their Miraculous beeped in warning, and Ladybug turned to him, "We're running out of time, bye kitty. See you next time."

"Until we meet again, milady," he bowed and she jokingly curtsied before they both set off their respective ways.


	35. 035

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rain.

Waking up the next time was all too pleasant, and with how tired she was from yesterday, she almost didn't want to get up. She was exhausted from both the physical  _and_  mental draining being Ladybug came with.

Her persona was not fake, it was just the amplified version of who she used to be, along with the adrenaline that rushed through her whenever she was swinging around as if she were Spiderman.

"Marinette?" Tikki floated above her head, sending her a worried look, "You've been staring at the ceiling for a few minutes, now."

"Have I?" she hummed, pushing herself to sit up. Checking the time on her with a yawn, she climbed out of bed, and started getting ready for the day.

Freshen up, black leggings, baggy t-shirt with a Chinese phrase, and shrugged on her ash grey hoodie, rolling the sleeves up to her elbows. Slipping on her socks before tying her high-top Vans, she readjusted her hood before waving Tikki over.

"Come, you can hide in my hood, it would definitely be more comfortable than my bag," Tikki gasped excitedly, and darting into the soft material of the hood, and curled up.

Marinette headed down to start helping with the pastries, it was only five-thirty, so she had a couple hours to kill before heading to school.

"Good morning," she murmured to her father, simply leaning on him while he gave her a tight, warm hug.

"Morning, Mari-  _Mari_!" he whined as she took the spoon with cookie dough on it and walked away, eating the raw substance. Ignoring him, she tied her hair back in her usual low bun, feeling the band stretch a little too much, though paid no mind to it.

"Marinette, dear?" she heard her mother call from the front, "do you have your umbrella packed? It's supposed to rain later today!"

"I'll grab it before I leave," she replied, smiling a bit.

She likes rainy days.

-

"You disobeyed me."

Adrien stared straight down at his lap, guilt ridden, as the car pulled up to the school he took a glance and saw Marinette walking with Alix and Nathaniel, both seemingly ranting angrily at the girl who looked like she wanted to be anywhere but  _there_.

He sighed, looking back down, fidgeting with his fingers.

"That school...you are never allowed to go back there.  _Ever,_ " his eyes stung, having expected this, but not wanting to face it, "...without your bodyguard." Adrien's head snapped up, eyes wide with shock. "Gorilla will drop you off and pick you everyday, no exceptions. Nathalie offered to work out your schedule, and you  _must_  continue your piano, Chinese, fencing, and your modeling shoots."

He turned to Nathalie, who looked away from him, " _Thank you_ , Nathalie," he grasped the head rest, where the screen of his father was, and frowned, guilty. "Father, I...I don't hate you. I could never," he whispered, "you're all I have left."

Gabriel closed his eyes, Adrien grabbing his bag and exiting the car, and heading up the stairs quickly in hopes of catching up to Marinette, but she seemed to already be going into the classroom.

Marinette dragged Nathaniel to the seat she would have sat in if Chloe hadn't bothered her. Somewhere along the years, she forgot who she was. It clicked when she had let that butterfly go, returning to how it once was.

She used to be happy, she used to enjoy herself with the  _different_  but  _same_ knowledge that was accessible, though she never expressed it. She had pushed herself to not care about others around her, only for those she held close. She had tried to keep Alya away because she felt like she didn't need her like the original Marinette had.

The panic and fear that had coursed through here as she was almost crushed by a car was undeniable, and she understood that her mentality was not in a safe state.

She was no longer the girl from only a few years ago, who had stood up to Kim for bullying her friend, though some things stayed the same, there was no denying the fact that  _she_ had changed.

_(Deep in the back of her mind, she knew why.)_

So, she would start with little things. You can't break out of habitual instincts that quickly, but she would do her best, for her friends...and for herself.

"Where do you think you're sitting, Dupain-Cheng?" Chloe hissed after entering the room and seeing her there with Nathaniel fidgeting. Everyone watched with bated breath.

Marinette hasn't faught back with Chloe in two years, never feeling up to an argument, but this time she seemed ready.

"At a desk," she replied, leaning her chin on the palm of her hand, "in a chair."

Chloe growled, stomping her foot, "That's  _my_ seat."

"Actually I've been sitting at this desk since we were twelve, three years, and not once has there ever been a problem since  _this_  year," Marinette's icy glare was cold, "I can also see from this seat, and I didn't think you cared much for learning since your father practically  _buys_  your straight A's while the rest of us actually  _work_  for our grade."

Chloe's mouth dropped, just as Adrien was coming in to see what all the noise was from, seeing Marinette and Chloe fighting. He was about to step in when Nino held in arm in front of him, shaking his head.

"You don't want to get into this one, dude. Marinette is infamous for her royal beat-downs," Nino whispered. Adrien's mouth drew into a frown as he watched on with the rest of the class.

"How  _dare_  you! That's my business that you have no right to tell!"

"It's not like it was a secret," Marinette shrugged, causing the students to snicker, but it was true.  _Everyone_  knew.

"This is  _bullying_. I could report you to the principal-"

"Because you can't report me to your father, since you and I both know that your father likes me quite a lot," Marinette interrupted, Chloe fumes silently. "Do you know what my shirt, says, Chloe?"

"Of course not, it's in another  _language_!" she hissed.

"It says  _'What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others.'_  Meaning treat others how you want to be treated. I know I'm not the best at talking with people, but I'm never rude without reason," Marinette stood from her chair, "so I'm treating you how you've treated everyone in this room. So sit at another fucking seat before I  _make you._ "

Adrien's jaw dropped at Marinette's crude language, but no one seemed off put or shocked, and then he remembered what Nino said.  _'Marinette is known for her royal beat-down's.'_  They glared at each other, Marinette's more steely than ever, when Chloe growled and sat herself at the very front, everyone snickering at the Queen Bee's loss. Alya had long since moved and was now sitting behind Marinette, next to Ivan, who had greeted her nicely.

There was so much more to Marinette than meets the eye.

Marinette returns to sitting and looks up too meet his eyes, the icy glare was still present, but held no threat towards him.

"Do you  _need_  something?" she asked, and Adrien shook his head quickly, taking his seat next to Nino who chuckled and patted his shoulder.

Finally, Miss Bustier walked in, smiling at her students and soon began roll call.

At least, this time, they were able to finish.

-

His first day of school was finally over and Adrien was heading towards the entrance looking for his umbrella. Rummaging through his bag for a solid two minutes, he remembered having left the black umbrella right on his bed and left in a hurry this morning.

He looked outside, grey clouds covering the sky and rain drizzling. He was about to simply speed walk to the car, after all, a little rain never hurt anyone.

"Adrien."

He paused, whipping around to face the person who called out to him. Her strides were short, and she stopped only a few feet away from him.

"Marinette," he breathed out, watching as her mouth twitched. "Nino told me your name..."

"I figured," she nodded, "you fought."

Adrien blinked, surprised, but huffed an embarrassed laugh, "Yeah, I didn't think it would work, but father is letting me attend school."

"Not without circumstances, right?" she rolled her eyes, and as she muttered something to herself, Adrien took this chance to really look at her.

Unlike last time, her hair wasn't clinging to her face with sweat, and was a lot neater and loosely tucked in a low bun. He remembered seeing its actual length at the park, as she only had it in a ponytail, though he wondered how long it was when let down.

Without thinking, he reached over and brushed a loose strand behind her ear, freezing when her eyes fluttered back to his, looking at him from beneath her lashes curiously.

"How bold of you, Adrien Agreste," she teased, and his hand jerked back, his face flushing with heat.

"S-sorry! I didn't mean to- I'm just-" he spluttered, shaking his hands.

Marinette's mouth twitches again, but this time, it stretches into a grin as she laughs lightly at his flustered state. He stops, staring at her in wonder, her eye's became crescents, her cheeks flushed lightly, and her laugh was one of  _pure happiness_.

Her laughter stops, but a small smile still rests on her lips, a look he's not used to seeing.

"I'll walk you to your car," she gestured over to the silver ride that was still waiting on him. Bring up and opening her clear umbrella, she stepped closer to him and made sure they both fit.

"Thanks..." he murmured, and they began the short walk over to the car. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, but she looked ahead, the smile no longer there, but it was clear that she wasn't upset. He wondered why his heart always seemed to pick up around her.

Always excited and happy to see her.

Always jittery.

Anxious.

Expecting.

 _Waiting_.

"Marinette," he called out, as they arrived at his ride, hand on the wet handle, he looked at her with furrowed brows, showing his confusion as she turned to him, expecting. "Do I  _know_  you?" He didn't elaborate, hoping that she would  _know_  what he meant.

But, her only response was a hum, tilting her head, something she seems to do often, "I don't know," was her response, " _do_  you?"

He doesn't understand her answer, though, before he can ask, she turns heel and starts leaving, leaving him to his thoughts, only getting a bit soaked before actually getting in the car.

Gorilla glanced at him through the rear view mirror, seeing him swimming in his own head, before looking through the back, where Marinette was staring straight at him, her glare cold and mouth in a frown. He remembered her being smaller, tinier, when he was ordered to carry her out and away from the Agreste home, never to allow her near.

Then years later, he sees her again, talking his Adrien, but he didn't recognize her at first, but then he saw her eyes. Those same, glaring, blue-bell hues challenging him to  _try and take her away this time_.

And now, they glared at him with determination.

Not wasting another second, he put the the gear in drive, and sped off back to the Agreste estate.

Marinette watch the car disappear, she turned to see the old man from yesterday, smiling up at her from under a black umbrella.

She bowed to him in a brisk greeting and continued her way home, not noticing Tikki peak out to wave at the man at the green Kwami next to him.

"What curious holders you have chosen, Master," Wayzz commended. Master Fu stroked his beard, looking at the girl walking away before glancing at the turtle Kwami with an amused smile.

"They were made for each other, but," he glanced at where the silver car head disappeared, "it seems fate has been cruel to these two."

He turns, beginning to head back to his home, "Fate has a tendency to be cruel, but only when it wants to see something grow stronger. I can't wait to see what it had in store," he chuckled.

And Master Fu was correct, fate  _is_  cruel like that, and there was  _so much more_  in store.

**Author's Note:**

> comments are always appreciated :)


End file.
